Guy Fieri has made a name for himself championing great food with a playful, down-to-earth attitude. This larger-than-life persona posed an interesting challenge when working on Guy Fieri’s Kitchen + Bar at Council Bluffs: How to distill that energetic, rock-and-roll, fun-loving personality into a design. Situated in Harrah’s Council Bluffs Hotel & Casino, we worked with the teams at Caesars Entertainment and Guy Fieri to develop a concept which honored both the Guy Fieri brand and the standard of comfort expected by Harrah’s guests. We aimed to craft a space capable of communicating the “off-the-chain” energy which follows Fieri wherever he goes.

Taking inspiration both from Fieri’s love of music and the performance venue adjacent to the restaurant, we wove musical elements into the décor from the host stand clad in recycled guitar straps to vinyl records and cassette tapes lining the walls. A subtle ceiling feature illustrates a sound wave of some of Fieri’s iconic catchphrases. Reclaimed materials give the space a rustic, homey atmosphere, welcoming guests into Fieri’s world of genuine hospitality.

“This space is really a reflection of all of Guy’s experiences and the public persona he’s cultivated. It was a labor of love, and I think we were able to capture the aspects of Guy’s personality that make him so beloved: his authenticity, his fun and friendly demeanor and his respect and love for the craft of hospitality.” – Liz Neuffer, Project Designer

“This project required thorough communication and coordination, bringing together the ideas of the three distinct teams at Guy Fieri, Caesars and Aria. Add in a truncated timeline and budget constraints in an inflating economy, and we had our work cut out for us. Luckily all of the teams, including Caesars and our contractor at Pinnacle Construction, were really keen to find creative solutions. We were able to have people sipping cocktails and brews by the opening show of concert season.” – Matt Shoener, Project Manager