--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's tough, you know: I'm a chef first…" description: "\"It's tough, you know: I'm a chef first, and a restaurant owner, way before I was ever on Food Network, and it's a tough business.\" — Guy Fieri" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/guy-fieri-2511_business_it-s-tough-you-know-i-m-a-chef-first-and_1521919.jpg" --- # It's tough, you know: I'm a chef first, and a restaurant… ![“It's tough, you know: I'm a chef first, and a restaurant owner, way before I was ever on Food Network, and it's a tough business.” quote by Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/guy-fieri-2511_business_it-s-tough-you-know-i-m-a-chef-first-and_1521919.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/guy-fieri-2511_business_it-s-tough-you-know-i-m-a-chef-first-and_1521919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/guy-fieri-2511_business_it-s-tough-you-know-i-m-a-chef-first-and_1521919.jpg) > “It's tough, you know: I'm a chef first, and a restaurant owner, way before I was ever on Food Network, and it's a tough business.” [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing culinary passion with ownership is challenging before fame. **In simple terms:** Being a chef and owner is tough pre‑TV. Key Takeaway Prioritize skills before seeking fame. Themes career identity business Mood determined reflective Type inspirational realistic When to use this quote - restaurant startup - personal branding - media exposure - team management Key Concepts entrepreneurship culinary arts Questions to Reflect On - What drives you more: cooking or business? - How to transition from chef to owner? A Different Perspective Success may still be elusive despite skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Chef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chef/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Food network](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-network/) [Restaurant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restaurant/) ## Related quotes > [My dad was in the restaurant business, but I didn't really think about following him. 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I don't watch a lot of TV. I wasn't even aware of the phenomenon of what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/did-i-ever-think-about-tv-stardom-i-don-t-watch-a-lot-of-tv-i-wasn-t/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I'm in a very unique position in that I got to participate in the Food Network by contest. That's long gone, being voted on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-m-in-a-very-unique-position-in-that-i-got-to-participate-in-the/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I'm gonna open a small restaurant on the beach in Mexico. We're only gonna have a few tables, and we're only gonna cook what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-m-gonna-open-a-small-restaurant-on-the-beach-in-mexico-we-re-only/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I'm a big fan of doing 'Triple D.' But I don't want to do it forever, don't get me wrong! Travel away from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-m-a-big-fan-of-doing-triple-d-but-i-don-t-want-to-do-it-forever-don/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [Television is a tough business. It's not that easy to jump shops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/television-is-a-tough-business-it-s-not-that-easy-to-jump-shops/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [Acting is a tough business to break into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/acting-is-a-tough-business-to-break-into/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [Comedy is tough. It is a serious business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/comedy-is-tough-it-is-a-serious-business/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [It is a tough business but if you get yourself in a situation like I, you can maintain a career over many years. That,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/it-is-a-tough-business-but-if-you-get-yourself-in-a-situation-like-i/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [Politics is a tough business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kuenssberg/politics-is-a-tough-business/) [Laura Kuenssberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kuenssberg/) > [Acting is a tough business, but if you really want to do it, you should go full force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-carroll/acting-is-a-tough-business-but-if-you-really-want-to-do-it-you-should/) [Madeline Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-carroll/) > [Well first of all it's a business and it's a tough business, and you have to have the strength to survive all the set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/well-first-of-all-it-s-a-business-and-it-s-a-tough-business-and-you/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) ## More by Guy Fieri > [I think anyone that grew up in the '70s and '80s grew up with Bob Barker and Wink Martindale and I think that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-think-anyone-that-grew-up-in-the-70s-and-80s-grew-up-with-bob/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I'm a big fan of doing 'Triple D.' But I don't want to do it forever, don't get me wrong! Travel away from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-m-a-big-fan-of-doing-triple-d-but-i-don-t-want-to-do-it-forever-don/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I'm a big greens fan. I'm a big vegetable fan. I'm a big whole grains fan. And I exercise a lot. That's how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-m-a-big-greens-fan-i-m-a-big-vegetable-fan-i-m-a-big-whole-grains/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [My philosophy is "Where is it written that at 40 you give up all your toys?" If I'm still having a great time doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/my-philosophy-is-where-is-it-written-that-at-40-you-give-up-all-your/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I'm a culinary gangsta with a very spiritual side, so when I was introduced to the 'spiritual gangster' line, I had to have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-m-a-culinary-gangsta-with-a-very-spiritual-side-so-when-i-was/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [At first, people think about vegetarian food like, 'Here's some veggies. Here's some pasta.' But there's so much more you can do in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/at-first-people-think-about-vegetarian-food-like-here-s-some-veggies/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [No matter how tough the meat may be, it's going to be tender if you slice it thin enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/no-matter-how-tough-the-meat-may-be-it-s-going-to-be-tender-if-you/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I really believe you've gotta put the power in the people. They're the ones who are gonna make the experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-really-believe-you-ve-gotta-put-the-power-in-the-people-they-re-the/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [Get off the beaten path... If you want to find those mom-and-pop joints, those funky little places, just ask around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/get-off-the-beaten-path-if-you-want-to-find-those-mom-and-pop-joints/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I love everything from Enya to Pantera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-love-everything-from-enya-to-pantera/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [If you looked in my fridge, you'd see maybe 12 different mustards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/if-you-looked-in-my-fridge-you-d-see-maybe-12-different-mustards/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I was always a kid trying to make a buck. I borrowed a dollar from my dad, went to the penny candy store, bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-was-always-a-kid-trying-to-make-a-buck-i-borrowed-a-dollar-from-my/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [People need to take a little bit more risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/people-need-to-take-a-little-bit-more-risk/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [Did I ever think about TV stardom? I don't watch a lot of TV. I wasn't even aware of the phenomenon of what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/did-i-ever-think-about-tv-stardom-i-don-t-watch-a-lot-of-tv-i-wasn-t/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [Your classic guacamole is just avocados, lime juice, and salt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/your-classic-guacamole-is-just-avocados-lime-juice-and-salt/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) [Explore all 163 Guy Fieri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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(Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. 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