The Norman Transcript

Local news

November 9, 2009

NEW: Norman's downtown Diner featured this week on Food Network

Mark Amspacher and his local Main Street diner will be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins -- Dives on the Food Network at 9 tonight and will be shown again at midnight Tuesday and 9 p.m. Nov. 20.

Guy Fieri and his crew were at The Diner, 213 E. Main, in June filming the segment.

Amspacher cooked a batch of his two-time state champion chili for Fieri. The chili has taken the Oklahoma state award twice and then competed in the nationals.

Amspacher's chili was love at first bite for Fieri. The platinum blonde, spiked-haired food guru had a hard time believing a beef and bean burrito was only $4.99.

"The chili was going on long before the diner," Amspacher said. "My dad and granddad invented this recipe."

Although Fieri has been in Oklahoma before, this was his first time in Norman, he said.

"We were here about a year and a half ago and had a nice time," he said. "Everyone is so friendly and I said we had to come back."

"We received e-mails from 11 viewers suggesting we go there," said Allison Page, vice president of programming for the Food Network. "So we checked it out and decided it was perfect for Guy to visit."

He enjoyed talking with Amspacher, he said.

"He's hysterical," Fieri said. "Just phenomenal, a true character. And those tie dye shirts."

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