Best Buddies Participant Shines on Food Network’s “Guys Grocery Games”
Miami, FL, Feb. 19, 2024 — Cassidy Bauer, a member of Best Buddies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the state branch of Best Buddies International, a nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for friendship, employment, leadership development and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), got the cooking experience of a lifetime when she starred in a special holiday episode of “Guy’s Grocery Games” hosted by Best Buddies Global Ambassador Guy Fieri on Food Network.
“When I first heard I was going to be on the show, it felt like I was in a dream,” Bauer said. “I couldn’t believe it was actually real.”
While it was Bauer’s first time on television, it wasn’t her first time stealing the show with her cooking or hanging out with Fieri. She had previously met Fieri when she was invited to cook with him at the famous Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port clambake.
Her previous relationship with Fieri made her feel right at home on the show. While Bauer was excited to reunite with Fieri and meet the other celebrity chefs, she was particularly excited about getting her own actor’s trailer.
“Meeting the chefs was a dream,” Bauer said. “And having my own trailer was pretty sweet.”
On the day of filming, Bauer and celebrity chef Damaris Phillips teamed up to compete against two other teams, Best Buddies participant Michael Jaxtimer-Berry and celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan and Best Buddies participant Chris Harrington and celebrity chef Beau MacMillian. Each team cooked a dinner and dessert, and the duo that cooked the best meals, as evaluated by a panel of celebrity judges, would bring home $15,000. One of those judges was Best Buddies Global Ambassador Katie Meade.
As the filming started, Bauer felt the pressure of the competition.
“I was nervous and excited,” Bauer said. “Running around the store [to pick the ingredients] was challenging, but it was a lot of fun.”
Bauer and Phillips immediately got to work, cooking up a gingerbread-crusted fried chicken with homemade cranberry sauce and spiced sweet potato for dinner and chocolate peppermint cupcakes for dessert.
It was then time to present her dishes to the judges.
“Talking to the judges was a little nerve-wracking,” Bauer said. “Damaris helped me get through it and helped me explain what we cooked.”
The judges then went to deliberate to determine who would win the prize.
“I would grade my dish a 10 out of 10,” Bauer said.
Luckily for her, the judges agreed, as Bauer got to bring home $15,000, which she said would go toward paying for her favorite summer camp. For each of the other two contestants, Fieri donated $5,000 to Best Buddies in their name.
For Bauer and the other contestants, this was the experience of a lifetime, and one that she hopes will inspire her peers in Best Buddies.
“Be strong and be yourself,” Bauer said. “Dreams really do come true.”
About Best Buddies Media Inquiries
Best Buddies® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living, and family support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant organization that has grown from one original chapter to nearly 3,000 middle school, high school, and college chapters worldwide. Today, Best Buddies’ 12 formal programs — Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies®, Jobs, Ambassadors, Promoters, Transitions, Inclusive Living and Eunie’s Buddies— engage participants in each of the 50 states and in 45 countries, positively impacting the lives of nearly one million people with and without disabilities around the world. In many cases, as a result of their involvement with Best Buddies, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities secure rewarding jobs, live on their own, become inspirational leaders, and make lifelong friendships. For more information, please visit bestbuddies.org or connect with us via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Best Buddies International
Nicole Maddox
Vice President, Communications
NicoleMaddox@Bestbuddies.org