As far as I’m concerned, Guy Fieri is an American treasure. Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Guy’s Big Bite are appointment television in my household, so I firmly believe that Double-Fried French Fries and Guy-talian Nachos should be a national dish. Like all American icons, Mayor of Flavortown deserves his own frosted-tip monument on the National Mall. His dorm room at UNLV during his mullet-y frat dog days? Put in on the National Registry of Historic Places.
In a candid interview with Thrillist, Tex Wasabi himself admitted that one of his most famous concoctions, Donkey Sauce, is actually just a pretty simple culinary staple. The leader of the Smash Mouth fan club spilled his guts, telling the website that it’s actually just an aoli. via Eater:
If we called it aioli, does that make it sexier? It’s aioli. This goes back to that exact comment that I said in the beginning: it’s about moderation. I called it Donkey Sauce because you have to make fun of it. It’s a quintessential ingredient in so many aspects of food, yet probably not the most beneficial except for flavor, probably the least beneficial, but it does have its place. All food has its place.
Oh.
..
..
..
I.
Am.
Shook.
Here’s how he came up with the name in the first place, many years ago:
When I was younger, I was working on a Carnival Cruise in the kitchen. I explained to one of the other chefs that you have to put the sauce on the burgers. He has this really thick accent and asks, “Why?” “You have to put the sauce on the burger or you’re a jackass.” And he goes, “Jackass? What’s a jackass?” “It’s a donkey.” “Oh, so it’s donkey sauce.” That’s really how it happened. I’ve never told that story. No one has ever asked.
I’m not the only one, either. This huge revelation is shaking the Internet’s world almost as hard as the existence of Guy’s flame-accented Crocs (a.k.a. the hottest footwear of the summer).
https://twitter.com/kahuharrison/status/879800827262582784
If you didnt assume Donkey Sauce was just aioli or some sort of funky mayonnaise, you are perverted I know what you thought it was you gross
— goblert (@MuralGoblin) June 28, 2017
Donkey Sauce is a state of mind if you're eating aioli don't @ me
— L. Ron Husband (@SeventyMeters) June 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/marklisanti/status/879921314907119616
Donkey Sauce might just be aioli, but this is what Guy Fieri would look like without the frosted tips and flavortown trips. pic.twitter.com/yx9xaXdqhq
— The Darkest Timeline Numbersmuncher (@NumbersMuncher) June 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/tad711/status/879865389647265793
https://twitter.com/joey_culoper/status/879873420665737218
My world will never be the same.