Rumors have been spreading that the divisive "Food Network" star is coming to town, but his reps say otherwise.
Asbury Park isn't getting a one-way ticket to "Flavor Town."
A hoax website claiming that celebrity chef Guy Fieri planned to open a restaurant in the city next year stoked concern among residents who saw the "Food Network" star as a threat to their neighborhood's unique character. "Guy Fieri is opening a restaurant in Asbury Park. TIME TO MOVE," one resident wrote on Facebook.
But she won't have to pack her bags yet.
The chef, who also operates Guy Fieri's Chophouse in Atlantic City, is not opening a location in Asbury Park, publicist Lindsey Cohen confirmed in an email.
"Unfortunately the rumors are not true, and the website is fake," Cohen said. "Guy will not be opening a restaurant in Asbury Park."
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The rumors started spreading the same week that two popular restaurants in the city shut their doors abruptly: Fish Urban Dining and Cibo e Vino.
Tom Wilson of Sackman Enterprises of New Jersey, which manages the properties that were home to those closed restaurants, said on Thursday that "we have several parties that have expressed interest in each individual space." He declined to name who those interested parties are but said that his office had not been contacted by Fieri or any of his representatives.
The fake website claimed "Guy Fieri's Asbury Kitchen & Bar" was scheduled to open in a former bank building in Asbury Park in early 2017, promising dishes like "Guy's Cookman Creamer Alfredo" and "Fieri 'Boss' Burger Donkey style." The website also said the restaurant was going to feature 32 craft beers, including selections from local breweries.
Jeff Plate, the owner of Asbury Park Brewery, said he woke up this morning to a flood of text messages and asked himself: "Why are people texting me about Guy Fieri?"
"They really are losing their sh** over this," he said.
"To me, it was really obvious that it was a prank, right out of the gate," Plate said, but added that a lot of people are still convinced Fieri is coming to the city.
For a town that prides itself on an artsy vibe, the prospect of the divisive chef behind the show "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" moving into town sparked outrage. "If I see anyone with sunglasses on the back of their head, I'm gonna blow!" one Instagram user wrote.
In addition to the fake website, a poster announcing a Fieri "Grab & Go" location was also spotted in the city on Thursday. Social media users identified the Collective Art Tank, a local artist space, as the location of the poster.
This isn't the first time a hoax website took aim at Fieri. A fake menu was posted online for Guy's American Kitchen and Bar in Times Square in 2013 that included dishes like "Superbowl Bash Bro'det" and "Honky-Tonky Double Barrel Meat Loaded Blast."
Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.