Chef Guy Fieri fired back at The New York Times on Thursday after his restaurant was slammed by food critic Pete Wells.

The paper published a scathing review of Fieri's new restaurant in Times Square on Wednesday, but he wasn’t letting it get him down.

"I wholeheartedly disagree with The New York Times' review of Guy's American Kitchen & Bar," Fieri said in a statement to Yahoo News. "My philosophy on life is what drives my attitude towards food. As a kid, I used to make four-course sushi meals for my parents and our family friends. I got hooked on food because I saw the way people reacted; the atmosphere around a family dinner, dining out with friends and family — it was contagious.

"At my restaurants, we always try to live by a very simple notion: that food brings people together," Fieri continued. "I've learned that not everyone agrees with my style. The Times' critic, Pete Wells, clearly did not enjoy his experience. I normally do not respond to reviews or critics, however, given the tone of Pete's piece, it's clear to me that he went into my restaurant with his mind already made up. That's unfortunate. I take comments from patrons, fans and visitors very seriously, and if there is ever a problem with our service, I'll fix it."

Wells' wrote about the restaurant from the host of the Food Network's “Diners, Drive-Ins and Drives”:

"Have you eaten at your new restaurant in Times Square?" The New York Times review by Wells began.

"Did panic grip your soul as you stared into the whirling hypno wheel of the menu, where adjectives and nouns spin in a crazy vortex? When you saw the burger described as 'Guy's Pat LaFrieda custom blend, all-natural Creekstone Farm Black Angus beef patty, LTOP (lettuce, tomato, onion + pickle), SMC (super-melty-cheese) and a slathering of Donkey Sauce on garlic-buttered brioche,' did your mind touch the void for a minute?"

The review of the Food Network star’s restaurant was an instant viral hit, but Fieri has not been fazed.

He said, "We've only been open a short while, but I've seen countless people come to my restaurant— families, fans, tourists, and yes, even New Yorkers — looking to get away for an hour or two, and they've had a great experience and a meal that they enjoyed. Like the hundreds of diners, drive-ins and dives I've featured on my show, I've incorporated my passion and love for food into my restaurants. I'm proud of the food we put out, and always will be."

Yahoo