Guy Fieri shines spotlight on 3 Jersey Shore restaurants on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'

Celebrity chef Guy Fieri, the Mayor of Flavortown, visits three Jersey Shore restaurants on the new season of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

"… A bistro by the beach is slingin' cheffed-up eats like herbaceous octopus and the-bomb bone marrow burgers" is how Food Network describes the dishes being prepared by Avon's Cavé Bistro on the episode titled "Fistful of Flavor."

The show premieres at 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2.

Cavé Bistro chef and owner Doug Stehle has been promoting the show on social media, and on July 31 shared a photo of Fieri while he was at the restaurant in early May: "We had so much fun filming this and we are psyched to see the actual episode! It's been hard to not talk about it … but it goes on air this Friday at 9 p.m. on @foodnetwork!"

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Stehle, who has been offering gluten-free, farm-to-table cuisine at Cavé Bistro for 11 years, admitted he's a little nervous.

"I've been working pretty hard for my whole life," he said, "and I spent a lot of time honing what I do."

Stehle said he is off on Friday, Aug. 2, so he said he'll be watching along with everyone else.

He's been trying to get on food shows for awhile, he said. And now, the big day is here.

"It's very exciting," he said. "I never experienced anything like that before. It was pretty cool."

Skratch Kitchen, Bradley Beach

At 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, Skratch Kitchen in Bradley Beach will be featured on an episode titled "All Over the Plate."

"They’re servin’ up seriously scratch-made specialties like killer Cajun clams and a prime-time pan-seared chicken," the Food Network said in the episode description.

Like all restaurants on the show, the vetting process included telephone interviews, and providing a few recipes and dishes, said Skratch Kitchen chef and owner J.T. Dunn.

"Apparently somebody affiliated with the show had eaten in the restaurant," he said. "… Everything is made from scratch. It's either made on premise or it's sourced very, very locally. There's a big farm-to-table concept as well. They were very impressed with that."

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Fieri is charismatic and genuine, Dunn said.

"It was pretty cool being part of the whole television experience. … For what you see on TV and what actually goes on are two entirely different things. The crew that came with the show was extremely helpful — really good people.

"… It still kind of seems surreal. I guess it won't hit me until I see it."

Will he be watching the show? It will be tough since it's on Friday night of Labor Day weekend.

"There is a television in the kitchen," he said, "… It all depends on how busy we are."

Seed to Sprout, Avon

Avon's Seed to Sprout will be featured at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. The episode is titled "Grand Slam Sammy."

"This trip, Guy Fieri's hittin' the road for serious sammys and more!," Food Network said in the show's description. "First, a vegan joint in Avon-by-the-Sea is plating plant-based perfection with the-bomb beet burgers and a top-notch tempeh melt."

A representative from Seed to Sprout confirmed they will be on, but said they could not talk about the show.

Fieri and his signature spiky hair and sunglasses were seen on the Asbury Park boardwalk in early May. He was at Low Dive (formerly Asbury Park Yacht Club) to promote Santo Spirits, a tequila brand he owns with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar. The next night he was at the Wine Outlet in Wall's Allaire Plaza.

At the time, a representative said he was filming for "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" in New Jersey, but he could not provide details.

Fieri, the 2006 winner of Food Network’s “Next Food Network Star,” has hosted "Guy’s Big Bite,” "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives," " Guy’s Grocery Games" and "Tournament of Champions," among other shows.

Go: Cavé Bistro, 515 Sylvania Ave., Avon; 732-776-8556, cavebistro.com.

Go: Skratch Kitchen, Bradley Beach,  812 Main St.; 732-620-8038, skratchkitch.com.

Go: Seed to Sprout, 410 Main St., Avon; 732-774-7333, seedtosproutnj.com.

Sarah Griesemer contributed to this story.

Bill Canacci can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives': Jersey Shore restaurants featured