As a child growing up on Long Island, NY, Bobby Flay was influenced greatly by his father’s love of good food. Neither father nor son realized at the time that this early appreciation of food would start Bobby on the path to becoming known throughout the country for his Southwest cuisine.
The Early Career of Bobby Flay
Bobby began his career in food with jobs at Baskin Robbins and at a local pizza parlor. After dropping out of high school, his father helped him get a job making salads at Joe Allen’s Restaurant in New York’s theatre district. It was while working there that he realized his future would definitely be in the food industry.
With financial help from his boss, Bobby enrolled in the French Culinary Institute where he earned recognition for his fine technique and his creative use of ingredients. Bobby was a member of the first graduating class in 1984. To this day, he still serves as a Master Instructor and visiting chef. Though he isn’t currently teaching classes, he enjoys stopping by and lecturing when his schedule permits.
After graduation, he took a position as a sous chef at a downtown restaurant. One week later, Bobby found himself in the position of executive chef after the sudden resignation of the executive chef. It soon became apparent to Bobby that he was in over his head. Issues with staff that had more seniority and experience than Bobby refusing to take his orders and trying to supercede his decisions began to arise. These issues coupled with the professional insecurities he was dealing with soon led Bobby to quit.
Bobby next took a job as a line cook at Bud and Jams, a downtown NYC restaurant owned by Jonathan Waxman. Flay credits Waxman with introducing him to Southwestern Cuisine and is quoted as saying, “Jonathan Waxman was the first person to teach me what good food was.”
Upon leaving Bud and Jams, Bobby took the position of Executive Chef at Miracle Grill in the East Village. It was at this time that restaurateur Jerome Kretchmer approached him about a new restaurant he was opening called Mesa Grill. The menu was to be Southwestern inspired and this is what had attracted Kretchmer to Chef Flay. The doors opened at Mesa Grill on January 15, 1991. Shortly after Mesa Grill opened, Bobby Flay and Jerome Kretchmer became business partners.
After forming their partnership, the two went on to open Bolo Bar and Restaurant in November 1993. In 2004, they opened a second Mesa Grill at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and in 2005, they opened Bar Americain in Midtown Manhattan. More recently, he has opened Bobby Flay Steak at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City and a third Mesa Grill in The Cove at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Sadly, in December of 2007, Bolo Bar and Restaurant closed its doors for good when the building was sold.
Iron Chef America and Other Bobby Flay TV Shows
Bobby Flay has had several television shows. His television career began when the original Iron Chef did a special episode in New York City. Bobby lost the battle and mistakenly offended his competitor and Japanese hosts by standing on top of his station to celebrate completion of the battle, not realizing that in Japan the cutting board is considered sacred. This led to harsh criticism from his competitor, Masaharu Morimoto. Morimoto said that he lacked professionalism and “he is not a chef.” The loss did not sit well with Flay. He traveled to Japan to challenge Morimoto to a rematch where he was victorious and once again climbed upon the countertop to celebrate, after removing his cutting board.
This led to Chef Flay co-hosting a short lived cooking show titled Grillin’ and Chillin’. Since then he has become an Iron Chef in his own right with the creation of Iron Chef America and also hosts shows Boy Meets Grill, Throwdown with Bobby Flay and BBQ with Bobby Flay.
Food Philosophy
Chef Flay’s philosophy has always been to use the freshest ingredients available. It doesn’t matter if it is something as small as the potatoes you are using as a side or the center of the dish like a steak or a fillet of fish. As long as you are working with the freshest ingredients available, you can create a bold, flavorful dining experience. In his opinion, it doesn’t matter if you are using Gouda, cheddar, Swiss or Brie. The cost of the ingredient shouldn’t be the focus; the flavor and freshness should be.
Bobby is widely known for his grilling. He likes to cook over an open flame. Whether it is a coal fire or a gas fire, the smokiness imparted from this cooking method really brings out the flavors in a dish.
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