Guy Fieri is recalling one of the “greatest compliments” a supervisor gave him about his 19-year-old son, Ryder.
While speaking with PEOPLE at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival on Feb. 21, the 57-year-old Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host revealed that it was “so great” to watch his youngest son “work in his discipline” when visiting San Diego State University last month.
Ryder, his dad adds, works for the college’s basketball team as a manager and is a “big athlete” himself.
“So when I met the coaches, they said, ‘Listen, let me tell you something. We have a lot of kids who come through here, and we’ve had some kids that are celebrity kids, and your son does not give one ounce… He doesn’t go around saying… He just works.'”
“And they all had the same thing [to say],” Guy added. “The players said the same thing. Really, that was one of the greatest compliments I can get is that he’s doing it when I’m not around.”
Guy shares both Ryder and elder son Hunter, 28, with his wife Lori.
Elsewhere at Guy’s South Beach outing, where he was joined by Hunter, the Food Network host shared with PEOPLE that he and his older son “work together almost every day.”
“He runs our wine company and he also works closely with me with the tequila company,” Guy added, referring to their Hunt & Ryde wine company and Santo Tequila.
Hunter also appears alongside his dad on Food Network’s Tournament of Champions, interviewing the winning chefs backstage on the competition series.
“My sons are my best friends,” Guy said. “My wife has been an incredible partner in life and the way we raised our kids. But Hunter’s doing really good on TV. He continues to gain confidence. My youngest son Ryder’s in college in San Diego, so he makes it in once in a while. But Hunter’s doing a great job.”
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It’s going to be a big year ahead of the Fieri crew. Earlier this month, Hunter shared an update on his upcoming wedding to fiancée Tara Bernstein. On March 4, the couple shared a clip taken at a beach, showing Bernstein jump into Hunter’s arms. “Jumping into forever with my favorite person ❤️🌊,” they wrote over the video.
As Guy detailed to PEOPLE, the soon-to-be newlyweds have been struggling to cut down their guest list as they prepare for their big day.
“They’re both such big personalities, and they both have a lot of friends,” Guy said in South Beach . “I mean, that’s the toughest thing. [How] those two [will] whittle it down to 350. I have no clue.”
“I mean, it would be like picking 350 of these people saying who’s going to make it,” he added. “But no, it’s going to be great, and creative and active and a lot of things.”
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