Season two of Fast Foodies, which sees some hip chefs recreate, then reimagine, a celeb guest’s favorite fast-food dish, begins on Tru TV January 27. Kristen Kish, Jeremy Ford and Justin Sutherland are the chefs and hosts.
Sutherland, speaking to B+C/Multichannel News while stuck in Knoxville amidst flight cancellations, said the interplay between the hosts helped the show get a second season. “The chemistry was natural and played well,” he said. “Obviously viewers liked it, because we’re about to premiere season two.”
Sutherland, who has won Iron Chef, said the trio knew each other from various food and wine events, but had never worked together before.
Season two guests include Nikki Glaser, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Chris Jericho, Bobby Moynihan, Horatio Sanz, Jon Gabrus and Joel McHale, who was also on season one.
Besides McHale, season one had James Van Der Beek, Andy Richter, Amanda Seales and Bobby Lee, among others. Season one had a lot of comedians, Sutherland said, and people a quick hop from the show’s downtown Los Angeles setting. (It shoots at the restaurant M Georgina.) “This time, we open it up a little more,” he said.
Sutherland called Bobby Lee “absolutely hilarious,” and said Richter made an impression on the chefs. “Out of all the guests, he just got right into it and seemed happy to be there,” he said.
Richter’s background as Conan O’Brien’s sidekick served him well. “A lot of people have their own show, they’re solo acts or what not, and just want to go over the top and take over the show,” he added. “Andy Richter is good at teeing up jokes. He’s a strong straight-guy.”
Michael Rucker is the showrunner, and executive produces Fast Foodies with Dan Peirson and Lisa Shannon. Sutherland mentioned getting the call from Rucker to do the show, when he was out for a drink with friends at Pillbox Tavern in St. Paul. (He’s based in St. Paul when he’s not shooting the show or stuck in Knoxville, and owns the Twin Cities restaurant Handsome Hog.) “I was mid-drinking with friends, and all the sudden it was, oh shit! This is a serious conversation!” he said.
Sutherland’s own fast food ventures growing up often involved Taco Bell. He said most everyone can relate to fast food, and he believes the humor behind Fast Foodies might be just what a lot of people are ordering these days.
“It’s hilarious, it’s uplifting, it doesn’t take itself too seriously,” he said. “Being in this state of the world, where you feel this weight and stress, you don’t need to watch anything that adds to that.” ■
