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When Guy Fieri pulled into town last Wednesday, all he could think about was a steak sandwich with what he described as "slop" cheese — that’s Cheez Whiz to you and me.
The Food Network star was pondering the best place to satisfy his craving. But the real reason for his afternoon visit to the Kimmel Center was to promote his 7 p.m. Nov. 18 appearance at the Merriam Theatre, 250 S. Broad St., for "The Guy Fieri Road Show," a national tour combining the worlds of food and rock ‘n’ roll. Each stop along the 21-city journey features a local chef handpicked by Fieri. In Philly, which is the second stop, Tony Luke Jr. fit the bill.
"The thing is that the dude loves food," the host of three Food Network shows including "Diners, Drive-in and Dives" said.
Luke plans on using some of his stage time to debut his updated version of Skip Deneberg’s "The Cheesesteak Song," hoping to make it the city’s next anthem.
"It is a tribute to the cheesesteak," Luke, owner of Tony Luke’s Old Philly Style Sandwiches, 39 E. Oregon Ave., and Tony Luke’s Beef and Beer Sports Bar, 26 E. Oregon, said. "It’s not me promoting me, it’s me promoting Philadelphia and the great cheesesteak."
Luke said he’s still brainstorming with Fieri on the actual set-list of entr�es.
"I’m kind of out-of-the-box and his show is out of the box," Luke said.
The performers will cook, grill and bake with the same style and flair rock stars dish out at concerts.
"This is about food and the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, the energy of rock ‘n’ roll, with the music of rock ‘n’ roll thrown in it," Fieri said, adding flair bartender Hayden "Woody" Wood also will work his magic next Wednesday.
The food-loving entrepreneur started his signature shows to promote his first restaurant more than 10 years ago.
For Luke, performing is nothing new as he has made several appearances in front of the camera, including the 2009 film "The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone," which can be seen 5 p.m. Nov. 19 on Showtime. As far as working with other culinary stars, Luke, whose line of frozen sandwiches can be found in supermarkets, always relishes the opportunity.
"As a cook, I’m looking forward to meeting other chefs while sharing recipes and techniques," he said.
For more information on "The Guy Fieri Road Show," visit www.kimmelcenter.org/events or call 215-893-1999.
