Flavortown Comes to Boca

Hundreds of fans packed the sidewalk outside Total Wine & More in Boca Raton on Feb. 27, forming a line spanning the entire Shops at Boca Center as they waited for a glimpse of celebrity chef Guy Fieri.  

By late afternoon, the line had grown deep, buzzing with stories of favorite episodes, restaurants and memories. When Fieri finally stepped inside – spiked blond hair and unmistakable Santo attire – cheers rippled through as phones lifted into the air.  

The one hour meet-and-greet marked a stop on Fieri’s promotional tour for Santo Tequila, the ultra-premium, 100% additive-free Blue Weber agave brand he co-founded with rock musician Sammy Hagar. Produced at El Viejito Distillery in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco, Mexico the Highlands tequila is crafted using a traditional family method developed more than 80 years ago and enhanced with modern techniques to preserve its agave-forward flavor profile. 

“Everybody showing up for my tequila makes me happy,” Fieri said as he signed bottles. When asked how he prefers to drink it, he added with a grin, “On the rocks guy.”  

At the front of the line stood Catherine Potter, 71, who splits her time between Boynton Beach and New Hampshire. She arrived three hours early, determined not to miss her chance.  

“If we didn’t get here by 2, I was afraid that the line would be forever, and it’s only for an hour,” she said, glancing back at the steadily growing crowd behind her. As more fans filled in, she described the energy building. “As the line is growing, I can feel the tension and excitement.” 

For Potter, the moment carried emotional weight. “The fact that I can meet him and have a picture with him – I mean that is my dream, like a once in a lifetime event,” she said. 

The event also drew families. Jamie Davis, a Boca Raton family law attorney, stood beside her 11-year-old son, Evan. 

“My son wants to be a chef,” she said. “He has watched every single episode of Guy’s Grocery Games and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” 

Evan, clutching a sign which said, “I want to be Guy Fieri when I grow up,” summed up his anticipation in a few words: “Happy and excited to meet him.” 

A few dozen spots back, Nicole Fier, 44, a Publix employee located in Hobe Sound carefully cradled a large poster of the Season 4 Tournament of Champions chefs with their signatures – awaiting Guy Fieri’s.  

“He is one of my favorite chefs,” she said. “I have four bottles at least that have been signed so far, so these will be more to add.”  

Further down the line, Zachary Beacchler, 32, a renaissance fair vendor from South Carolina, said the event felt like stepping into his television screen.  

“I thought I’m going to come out and see Mr. Favortown,” he said. “I grew up watching Food Network.”  

Another frequent topic of conversation weaving through the line was Fieri’s iconic red 1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible — the same car featured in “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” For many, the car represents more than transportation — it’s a symbol of the show itself. 

Inside the store, staff worked methodically to keep the line moving, guiding customers toward the signing table. Each fan only had a few seconds – a quick exchange, a signature, and a photo – before stepping aside for the next person. 

For Anne Sckolnik, 76, of Boca Raton, the admiration stretches back decades. She remembers seeing Fieri when he first rose to television fame.  

“I saw Guy Fieri many years ago when he won a contest, and then he started the show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” she said.  

She recounted attending a previous live event where she narrowly missed catching a tossed T-shirt. “It whacked me in the face,” she said. “I went to grab it and the lady next to me got it first.” 

This time, she came fully prepared, wearing a T-shirt she had painted herself: the word “LIT” blazed across the front in fiery letters, a playful nod to Fieri’s signature look – spiked blond hair, iconic black shirt with flames, and all.  

As the hour wound down, the once-lengthy line gradually shortened, leaving behind a lingering hum of excitement. Some fans cradled their signed bottles like collectibles, and others waved posters with Fieri’s signature upon them.  

For one lively hour in Boca Raton, the tequila aisle transformed into a slice of ‘Flavortown.’