<\/p>\n
Guy Fieri is recovering from what he described as the \u201cworst thing I\u2019ve been through in the last 20 years.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Food Network star and celebrity<\/a> chef said in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE<\/a> published Wednesday that he is \u201cdoing better\u201d after taking a tumble down a flight of stairs in November. The fall left Fieri, 57, with a torn quad muscle and in a wheelchair for eight weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m doing better. It was definitely a trying holiday, but you know what, you get some real appreciation for having the ability to just get up and walk around and do everything you used to,\u201d Fieri told PEOPLE. \u201cI\u2019m a big CrossFit and hiking guy, so eight weeks of no hiking has driven me kind of crazy. But I\u2019m looking forward to it, trying to take it easy.\u201d<\/p>\n While the \u201cDiners, Drive-Ins and Dives\u201d host is ready to get back out there, he recalled just how grueling the injury was.<\/p>\n \u201cMy doctors are all like, \u2018We know you want to get after it, but let\u2019s not go back to where we were.\u2019 And I\u2019m like, \u2018We are never going back to that!\u2019 That was the worst thing I\u2019ve been through in the last 20 years,\u201d he told PEOPLE while laughing. \u201cBut now I\u2019ll be up and ready and healthy and rolling by the time we hit the Super Bowl for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Fieri was filming his new series, \u201cFlavor Town Food Fight,\u201d when he \u201cslipped down a set of steps and one foot went forward and the other foot got caught on the threshold,\u201d he told Fox News Digital<\/a> following the incident. <\/p>\n \u201cI looked like I was probably doing the splits, but when my right leg compressed into itself the giveaway point and the doctor said he\u2019s never seen \u2014 you know, in 20 years \u2014 he hasn\u2019t seen a tear in the biggest, thickest part of your quad in half. Yeah, it sucked,\u201d Fieri said.<\/p>\n The \u201cGuy\u2019s Grocery Games\u201d host added that he was rushed to surgery after the fall to ensure his muscles didn\u2019t \u201crecede.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou normally tear that muscle at your tendon or the tendon tears off the bone, but this was right in the center of the whole quad muscle and it exploded,\u201d Fieri told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n While Fieri was bummed that the injury meant he couldn\u2019t resume go hiking, work out or film his new show, he was thrilled to get out of cooking for the holidays.<\/p>\n \u201cMy son, Ryder, texted me from school and he said, \u2018Well, I guess all the training you\u2019ve given me and all the cooking I\u2019ve been doing while I was at school, it was going to be my time to shine,\u201d Fieri told Fox News Digital. \u201cAnd I said, \u2018I am so happy you\u2019re asking me about this versus me telling you [that] you have to do it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Fieri will be joined by his sons Ryder and Hunter, as well as his nephew Jules, in Santa Clara for the Flavortown Tailgate<\/a> on Feb. 8. The event will feature live performances, games and \u2014 of course \u2014 plenty of food. <\/p>\n Tickets can be purchased online<\/a>.<\/p>\n