Guy Fieri’s Tips for Building the Perfect Super Bowl Menu

Do. Not. Forget. The. Rolls.

If there’s one person you can trust to orchestrate an epic game day bash, it’s the king of Flavortown. 

Guy Fieri isn’t just a man who knows how to host great TV and open restaurants. He’s also a die-hard football fan. Specifically, he's a Raiders guy, but on Super Bowl Sunday, he’s just in it for the love of the game. And a really, really good sandwich. 

“I wish that we could have football all year round,” Fieri shared with Food & Wine over Zoom as he sat at his desk, which also happened to be surrounded by footballs. But rather than wallow in the sadness that football will soon be ending, Fieri instead shared his advice for building the perfect game day menu in honor of the upcoming Super Bowl, so you and your friends can send the season off in style.

If you’re hosting, don’t spend the entire time in the kitchen

Fieri isn’t one to get stuck in the kitchen during the game and doesn’t think you should be either. “I put everybody to task because I don't want to sit there and miss the game as I'm cooking,” he says.

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Fieri adds that he learned the hard way by throwing massive game day parties in the past, where he was in charge of all the cooking. “I would find myself cooking through the majority of the game. And halftime, everybody comes and eats, and I'm exhausted, and I'm like, wait, I'm getting this all wrong.”

Instead, he suggests giving everyone something to be responsible for in the meal prep. Be it drinks, dips, ingredients, whatever, so long as they can go into what comes next.

Make mealtime an interactive experience

Rather than set out one or two items people can pick up (like wings or pizza), Fieri suggests building a smorgasbord so big that everyone can find what they want and can create a meal all their own. And it begins with a base of King's Hawaiian rolls, a partner of Fieri's and also a Super Bowl staple for households around America.

"King's Hawaiian rolls are the perfect platform because when you have this building block of slider rolls or the buns or the pretzels or the sliced bread, you really get an open canvas of where you can go,” he says. “Let people build it. Let them do their own assembly. You're not the short order to cook. Let them get involved. And, but I think people love the selection. People love variety.” 

Don’t limit the menu to just sandwiches

Though Fieri is a firm believer in the King's Hawaiian products, he notes, “Don't limit it to just making some sandwiches.” Instead, use them as part of dips and charcuterie boards, and even toast them into garlic bread for little bites.

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When asked if there’s ever a limit to what one should put out, Fieri simply answered, “Come on, you're talking to a guy that loves to eat. No, there cannot be too much.”

Remember, quality matters

Fieri is, however, choosy about one thing: quality.

“Please don't show up with a nine-layer dip from the store. I'd rather you go and get some refried beans out of a can, sauté some jalapeños, and get some queso fresco and doctor it up yourself,” he says. “Make use of quality ingredients.”