CHRIS SMITH
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
February 18, 2021, 6:59AM
Chris Smith: Why Guy Fieri keeps coming back to the Russian River Pub
“When Guy Fieri met Wendy Gause 20-some years back, he was a not-yet-famous Santa Rosa restaurateur and she a waitress who delighted patrons of some of the city’s favorite dining spots.
Gause was serving at Hank’s Creekside Restaurant when Fieri came in and ordered something mildly unforgettable. Ham and grits, with coffee poured over it.
“It was like an oddball request,” said Gause, who’d been a server also at the hallowed eating-and-drinking landmark that was El Rancho Tropicana Hotel and at Lita’s Cafe. She and Fieri chewed the fat whenever he came into Hank’s, and they became friends.
In 2005, Gause purchased then run-down Russian River Pub, located between the river and River Road a bit west of Forestville. In 2006, Fieri, then co-owner of Johnny Garlic’s and Tex Wasabi’s, won the nationwide TV contest “The Next Food Network Star.”
Watch RRP on Food Network
