Additional Coverage:
- Guy Fieri’s kids have to get 2 college degrees for an inheritance. His youngest son is trying to make a different deal. (businessinsider.com)
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri, known for his fiery personality and flavorful food, has a unique inheritance plan for his sons. It’s a simple rule, borrowed from Shaquille O’Neal: “If you want this cheese, you got to get two degrees.”
While Fieri’s $100 million Food Network contract might suggest a life of luxury for his children, he’s instilling the same values his father taught him. Fieri’s eldest son, Hunter, 28, is on track, set to graduate with an MBA this May.
His nephew, Jules, 26, whom Fieri helped raise, also recently earned a law degree. Youngest son Ryder, 19, a freshman at San Diego State University, is feeling the pressure from his accomplished older brother and cousin.
He even tried to negotiate with his dad, suggesting good grades might suffice in lieu of a second degree. Fieri, however, held firm, recalling his father’s playful yet pointed advice: “When I die, I’m leaving you nothing except a funeral bill.”
Fieri’s parenting philosophy emphasizes hard work and earning one’s way. This lesson was reinforced with a series of hand-me-down vehicles, starting with a 1990 Chevy pickup truck for Hunter, despite his private school peers’ luxury cars.
The truck eventually went to Jules, leaving Ryder with his grandparents’ old minivan for his 16th birthday. Ryder’s initial dismay was met with a firm, “Then ride your bike!”
Despite the tough love, Fieri is supportive of his sons’ pursuits. Ryder works for the San Diego State basketball team, while Hunter assists his father on his hit shows.
The family, including Ryder, will celebrate Hunter and Jules’ academic achievements with a trip to Italy this summer. Fieri, ever the culinary innovator, even used his family as taste testers for his new Waterloo Sparkling Water flavors.