Guy Fieri knows better than anyone that restaurant workers are the lifeblood of that industry, so he immediately sprung into action to help those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The official Mayor of Flavortown joined "TMZ Live" Thursday and explain how he quickly managed to get $20 million into a relief fund. Guy says he partnered up with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation ... and they launched the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.
Pretty incredible what he's done in less than 2 months. As Guy told us, he had no problem getting on the phone to some major corporations involved in hospitality and food services.
He says they've already awarded more than 40,000 grants -- worth $500 each -- to workers facing extraordinary hardship due to the pandemic. Anyone who wants to donate to the cause or apply for a one-time grant can go here.
We also asked Guy how the industry can survive under our "new normal" of social distancing. He said it's gonna be tough, but it can be done ... for a certain type of restaurant.