Bobby Flay Admits He’s a ‘Bit Addicted’ to This Appliance in His Home Kitchen
Bobby Flay has built an impressive name for himself among the ever-growing ranks of celebrity chefs. He’s become one of the Food Network’s most recognizable faces and has been hosting multiple shows with the network for decades now.
It’s always interesting to take a peek into the home kitchens of celebrity chefs. How much of the work they do on-screen translates to their real-life cooking habits?
Flay opened up his New York City home to fans. And, in the process, he revealed a lot about what his everyday cooking habits look like when the cameras aren’t running.
Bobby Flay knew he wanted to cook from a very early age
Flay grew up in New York City and began his culinary interests at a very young age. He asked for an Easy-Bake Oven at the age of 8 and later dropped out of school to work in the restaurant his father managed when he was only 17.
Flay’s natural cooking abilities were so impressive that the restaurant’s namesake, Joe Allen, offered to foot the bill for culinary school.
In 1994, Flay made his first appearance on the newly-launched Food Network, which began in 1993. He has hosted several shows of his own, including Barbecue Addictions: Bobby’s Basics, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and Brunch @ Bobby’s.
While some have come forward to suggest Flay is difficult to work with behind the scenes, he has a lot of fans who are impressed by his cooking and enjoy watching him perfect his craft.
Throughout the years, Flay has developed a reputation for Southwestern flavors and traditional barbecue fare. These favorites are reflected in his restaurants, which include a multi-location burger joint, a steak place in Atlantic City, and Mesa Grill locations in Las Vegas and the Bahamas. The menu features such flavorful dishes as Charred Shishito Peppers and Sixteen Spice Chicken.
Bobby Flay rose to Food Network fame with ‘Iron Chef’
Flay’s most famous appearance is arguably his time on Iron Chef, where he appeared for an astounding 12 seasons. His departure from the show was somewhat controversial.
In 2017, Flay showed up on set wearing a t-shirt that declared it was his final appearance on the show. Food Network executives had to deal with the shirt in editing to avoid causing a stir when the show aired.
Departing from the show — even in such a flashy way — freed up Flay to take on a more manageable schedule. With several eateries he manages across the country and his other shows, it was likely a welcome reprieve.
Bobby Flay’s NYC kitchen is stunning
Flay has a luxury apartment in the city that never sleeps that’s valued at an impressive $7.25 million. Of course, the kitchen is a prime feature of the space, and Flay opened up his home to let fans take a look at how he preps and cooks when the cameras aren’t on.
The most visually striking detail about the kitchen is its massive counter space. Flay clearly wants lots of room to work his magic, and he called in the same contractors who design his restaurants to make his kitchen meet his needs.
Some of the features of the space include a six-burner stovetop, a griddle, more than 30 spices and seasonings displayed in gorgeous glass jars, and two dishwashers.
“It’s really perfect,” Flay says of his dream cooking space. “I have no excuses — if the food coming out of here isn’t good, it’s not the kitchen’s fault.”
There is one luxury item in the kitchen that Flay admits he’s “a bit addicted to.” That’s his espresso maker. With someone as busy as Flay, though, it makes sense that he might need a beverage that gives a quick pick-me-up in the midst of his rush from show to show and restaurant to restaurant.
