The Food Network’s John Catucci
As inspiring as cooking shows may be, few moments register like watching a TV host indulge in a mountain of meat, cheese, or deep-fried splendor. And while Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives has exposed us to a plethora of American cooking—via the frosted, bleach-blonde cool of professional eater Guy Fieri—Canada has notably lacked a voice justifying high-caloric indulgence.
Enter: You Gotta Eat Here!, the Food Network’s Canadian answer to Fieri’s full-throttle foodie road-tripping. Hosted by comic John Catucci, You Gotta Eat Here! Offers a glimpse of our own dining landscape, as the show takes us through the Great White North to find the greatest barbecue, poutine, and vegan burgers (to name a few).
The A.V. Club caught up with Catucci before he took off for Edmonton and asked what we can expect from the upcoming season.
The A.V. Club: Congratulations on the première. Have you wrapped the first season?
John Catucci: Yeah, we have the first 13 episodes in the can, but we’re still shooting some episodes that will hopefully go past that—I think that’s what they’re working on. I know that we’ve still got shoots to do in Edmonton and coming back here in Ontario.
AVC: Why did you think Canada needed a show like this?
JC: Because we have such diverse, different types of comfort foods in this country, and it comes from all over the world. And people like that. They love food. They love comfort food especially, and I think anything Canadian is fantastic. I think it’s that people can actually go to these places—they don’t need to leave the country.
AVC: Are comparisons to Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives something that you’re trying to get away from? Or are you okay with people referring to You Gotta Eat Here! as the Canadian version of that show?
JC: I don’t think you can get away with it. In reality, all food shows are pretty similar to other food shows. But I think the big difference is I’m not a chef. [Guy Fieri] is a well-known chef—I’m not. I’m just a comic. And I’m going in like a regular person would, so I’m not going in with any back history of how these dishes are actually made. It’s always in the moment. They like ripping into me, and I’m fine with that.
AVC: What’s interesting with shows like yours and Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives is that we’re moving away from conventional cooking shows and focusing more on restaurants and that process. Why do you think that is?
JC: I think it’s really cyclical—I think it goes back and forth. Like the original Julia Child shows were personality-driven and recipe-driven: You’re in the kitchen with this person and they’re showing you how to cook. I think people still love that. More than half the shows on the network are like that. But I think there’s that other side where people think, “I want to go there. I want to taste that food.” And that’s exactly what this show wanted to do.
AVC: Are you worried that there may be a backlash from people who think shows like these don’t promote a healthy lifestyle?
JC: I don’t think so. One of the chefs told me the reason people go out to restaurants is because people don’t have a deep fryer at home—and I think that’s the reason. I think people like going out, tasting that stuff and that seems to be the greatest part. But then again, we also covered a really awesome vegan burger place when we were out there, so I think there’s that balance where yes, it’s healthy, but it’s still really good.
AVC: Why do you think you and your comedy style works so well with this kind of show?
JC: I guess there’s always that idea that I can shoot the shit with anybody, really. I enjoy meeting people, and I enjoy having fun with people, and I think that comes across. All that stage time I had, interacting with audience members and performing with my partner David [Mesiano] of The Doo Wops comes out—doing Second City touring company and improvising and performing on stage with people definitely helped. And I don’t take myself too seriously.
AVC: Was this a project that The Food Network approached you with or is this yours?
JC: No, I had nothing to do with it. It’s in association with Lone Eagle Entertainment, and they were looking for a host and they approached me. And when The Food Network knew who I was as well, it was perfect timing. Everything came together perfectly, and it’s always nice when you don’t have to dance for your dinner—now I just have to eat for my dinner.
AVC: Do you think Canadians pay enough attention to our own foods? It seems like we really tend to over-romanticize the States and their fatty deliciousness.
JC: I think we do. Canada’s pretty fantastic, and we have those delicious Canadian foods, and I’m hoping to eat more of it. What’s better than smoked meat, really? Well, two smoked meats. When we were in Montreal, we had smoked meat poutine—we took everything that was delicious and put it in one dish. And I eat it for you. And I hope I don’t die. That’s my thing.
AVC: Is that the new tagline? “I hope I don’t die”?
JC: I gotta put that on a T-shirt.
