How Two Friends Turned a Weekend Hobby Into a Food Empire with @TheGrillDads ​

#grilldads #foodnetwork #guyfieri #foodcontentcreator #podcastIn this episode of The Duce Raymond Podcast, Duce sits down with Mark Anderson and Ryan Fey, better known as the Grill Dads. From their early careers in advertising and marketing to winning a Food Network competition created by Guy Fieri, Mark and Fey share the incredible story behind one of the most recognizable food brands on social media.The Grill Dads discuss how a passion for cooking, backyard barbecues, and entertaining friends eventually turned into sold-out restaurant pop-ups, national television appearances, and a thriving content business. They reveal what it was really like working with Food Network, why they ultimately chose to leave television behind, and how they built a successful brand on their own terms.The conversation dives deep into the realities of content creation, social media growth, brand partnerships, entrepreneurship, and the lessons they've learned from years of creating food content. Duce and the Grill Dads also discuss their partnership with Sweet Baby Ray's, the evolution of food media, viral restaurant videos, Chicago food culture, Gene & Jude's, tavern-style pizza, and the responsibility creators have when spotlighting small businesses.Mark and Fey also share valuable advice for content creators looking to grow their audience, build a sustainable business, and avoid relying solely on social media platforms. Whether you're a food creator, entrepreneur, barbecue enthusiast, restaurant owner, or simply a fan of great food stories, this episode is packed with insights, laughs, and behind-the-scenes stories from two of the most successful personalities in the food content world.In this episode:• How the Grill Dads got discovered by Guy Fieri• Winning their Food Network competition series• Why they left Food Network• Building the Grill Dads brand• Creating viral food content• The Sweet Baby Ray's partnership• Chicago pizza, Italian beef, and food culture• Restaurant reviews and food tourism• Entrepreneurship and brand building• Advice for creators and influencers• The future of the Grill Dads• The future of Duce's WildFor more barbecue, grilling, entrepreneurship, restaurant stories, and conversations with some of the biggest names in food, subscribe to The Duce Raymond Podcast.00:00 - Meet the Grill Dads00:48 - How Guy Fieri Changed Everything03:30 - Building a Food Brand From Scratch05:43 - Why They Walked Away From Food Network08:15 - The Sweet Baby Ray's Story11:23 - The Buc-ee's Video That Exploded12:35 - How They Find Viral Food Spots14:22 - The Secret Behind Chicago's Best Pizza17:11 - Restaurants They Refuse to Review19:42 - Inside the Future of Duce's Wild21:16 - Gene & Jude's & Chicago Food Legends23:13 - What Happens When Cameras Enter a Restaurant25:44 - Their Wild New Show: Grill'n After Dark28:01 - The Reality of Food Entrepreneurship30:32 - Why Content Creation Never Stops32:55 - The Biggest Mistake New Creators Make34:31- Don't Build Your Business on Social Media35:52 - What's Next for the Grill DadsFollow The Grill Dads on Social: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegrilldads/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegrilldadsTik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegrilldads?lang=en X: https://x.com/thegrilldads YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrillDads/shortsToday: https://www.today.com/search/?query=the+grill+dadsThe Food Network: https://www.foodnetwork.com/search/The-Grill-Dads--Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0789SXCYY/ref=cm_sw_em_r_pv_wb_HW73Yug48vECxApple Tv: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/the-grill-dads/umc.cmc.3glu115xoe2mm1xnle8q8ugjPeople: https://people.com/food/mark-anderson-ryan-fey-tater-tot-egg-skillet-recipe/Grill'n After Dark: https://www.tastemade.com/shows/grilling-after-darkWebsite: https://thegrilldads.com/Follow Us on SocialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetbabyrayscatering/   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sweetbabyrayscatering   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetbabyrayscatering    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweet-baby-ray's-catering/?viewAsMember=true     Website: https://www.sweetbabyraysbbq.com/