Hot doggin’ it

Jon Ollwerther

Do you like big, juicy weenies?

The Food Network’s Guy Fieri clearly does, as he featured Fairfield’s own Super Duper Weenie on the March 16 airing of his show, ‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.’

To watch Super Duper Weenie’s segment on the Food Network, click here.

‘I believe they’re looking for unique places that do things a little bit out of the ordinary,’ said Super Duper Weenie’s co-owner, Gary Zemola.

Super Duper Weenie is the hot dog company known best for its ‘weenie-mobile,’ which comes to campus on Wednesdays during nice weather.

According to co-owner John Pellegrino, who went to’ Fairfield Prep, the Super Duper Weenie truck was set up with its on-campus route with the help of Jim Fitzpatrick, assistant vice president for student affairs, and Pellegrino’s former Fairfield Prep headmaster, Father Charles Allen, S.J.

The truck gets most of its business from Fairfield Prep students, who Zemola says ‘swarm the truck like a wave’ during lunchtime.

‘It’s not too expensive and it’s a great treat every Wednesday,’ said Kevin Leit’atilde;o, a junior at Fairfield Prep. Leit’atilde;o added that the truck is especially convenient now that Fairfield Prep implemented a new policy that forbids students from leaving campus during school hours.

According to the video segment from ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,’ Super Duper Weenie attracted the attention of the Food Network when the show’s host, Guy Fieri, tasted the hot dogs firsthand while visiting friends in Connecticut.

Freshness and personality are what makes Super Duper Weenie stand out from its competitors, according to Zemola and Pellegrino.

‘It beats the hell out of a McDonald’s or Dutchess,’ said Zemola.

Zemola said that everything is handmade fresh, from the sweet and hot relish to the chili and french fries. The ingredients draw from the Super Duper Weenie recipes. The food also has no trans-fats and the restaurant gets its produce from local sellers when possible.

‘I don’t feel like I need to go to the gym after Super Duper Weenie,’ said Mary Finnegan ’11.

The truck gets a lot of customers when it comes to campus for special events like sports games, according to Zemola.

But some University students are not so impressed with Super Duper Weenie.

Jocelyn Touchette ’09 said that although she is ‘not a hot dog person,’ she would rather eat a Hebrew National dog than Super Duper Weenie.

‘I’ve been to Swanky Franks and I like it there but for the amount of money Super Duper charges, I’d rather just eat at the Stag,’ said Megan McLaughlin ’10.