Did you know that, before he actually decided to quit Food Network, Bobby Flay tried to quit on-air
during an "Iron Chef" competition? And here's the kicker: It was via a t-shirt. Keep watching
to find out more about his biggest scandals. Flay's departure from the Food Network stunned
the food and entertainment industries alike. Variety broke the story, reporting
that negotiations over Flay's contract — which had been set to expire at the end of 2021 — had
simply fallen apart. Neither side commented on the matter and no other details were given.
"It's go time."
Days later, People noted that Flay had demanded $100 million dollars to stay on at the network.
If that sounds outrageous, it's not completely out of the ballpark when
compared to the recent contract that Guy Fieri secured. At $80 million,
Fieri's Food Network contract makes him the current highest paid chef on cable TV.
But that ranking apparently didn't sit well with Flay.
Even so, at the end of the day, the two sides just couldn't agree. Still, a source dished to People:
"The network decided to move forward without [Bobby Flay].
Regardless, it was really much more amicable than you'd think. It was strictly business."
Although it now appears official that Bobby Flay is, indeed, leaving the Food Network for real,
he's actually bluffed about quitting before. He even once caused a major scandal by quitting
on-air and then not following through, according to Variety. During a 2017 taping of "Iron Chef
Showdown," Flay ended the competition by dramatically ripping off his chef's coat
to reveal a t-shirt that read, quote: "This is my last Iron Chef battle ever." Everyone was baffled.
Was it a practical joke? A dramatic temper tantrum? And if Flay was actually quitting, it was
certainly news to Food Network execs, who were reportedly shocked and horrified by the stunt.
Whatever his real motivation, Flay quickly clarified that he wasn't serious,
telling People he was just playing a prank.
Even so, he admits that his attempt at humor went over like a lead balloon, adding,
"In hindsight, it was probably not the best decision because it's just creating confusion."
Not to mention, it also ticked off his bosses. He explained via Page Six,
"The network was not thrilled. I thought it would be good TV.
They didn't think of it that way, and that's obviously their prerogative.
[Food Network] said to me, 'Why didn't you tell us?,' and I was like, 'I didn't tell anyone.
That's the whole point, that it's a surprise!'" The late chef, TV personality, and writer Anthony
Bourdain made no secret of his skepticism about the talent of certain culinary celebrities.
And Bobby Flay was clearly one of them. In a 2016 talk at Philly's Academy of Music, Bourdain said,
"'Beat Bobby Flay' actually sounds promising until you realize it's about cooking."
"Bring it on!"
He also made light of what he perceived as Flay's move to sell
out to the masses rather than keep his focus on haute cuisine, adding,
"[Food Network is] sending this poor guy all over the country, to trailer parks and meth labs."
Flay didn't dare try to match Bourdain jab for jab,
but the two never did seem to get past their differences.
Still, when Bourdain died in 2018, Flay spoke of his legacy with respect. He clarified on TODAY,
"We were not close friends at all. Obviously, we knew each other a little bit. It's very sad.
I was a huge fan of his shows." Flay and Giada De Laurentiis are
Food Network colleagues and close friends, having appeared together on a number of series
and specials including "Beat Bobby Flay," "Iron Chef," and "Bobby and Giada in Italy."
"I love this."
"Mm-hmm."
While their on-air chemistry was undeniable, the years-long whispers
of an off-air romance had also been growing rather loud. At one point, there was even a
Reddit thread devoted to speculation that the two were more than friends. One user wrote,
"Their sexual tension is earth-shattering."
Many fans of the stars were, to put it mildly, here for it. The only problem? Giada was still
married at the time. Although she and her husband Todd Thompson eventually split in 2014,
she remained so bothered by various cheating rumors — including one about Matt Lauer — that
she finally issued a denial. She said in a statement to Page Six,
"My long-time friendships with my co-workers Matt
Lauer and Bobby Flay are exactly that — long-time friendships."
Since then, Flay has gone on to romance Broadway actress Heléne Yorke, while People reports
that De Laurentiis has been involved with talk show producer Shane Farley since 2015.
A secret romance isn't the only thing about Flay that's been called into question over the years.
Perhaps even more upsetting is the fact that both critics and viewers
alike have wondered if Bobby Flay is a cheat — at least when it comes
to TV. Some allege that his competition shows have even been fixed in his favor.
TV Overmind noted that the judging panels on Flay's shows
were often suspiciously packed with his buddies in the food world.
And that may have accounted for his impressive winning streak on "Beat Bobby Flay."
Redditors agreed that Flay's victories simply didn't add up, with one commenter noting,
"Somehow, he always manages to make a better version of the contestant's signature dish
that they have made a hundred times...in 30 minutes...with no advance notice?"
"You don't know anything about television."
The outcome of "Food Network Star" also smelled a little fishy to viewers. She Knows guessed
that Food Network had its own reasons for influencing the outcome, favoring popular
contestants over more controversial ones. And while no hard evidence of fraud has ever emerged,
the speculation wasn't exactly a good look for the Network or Flay. As one Reddit commenter put it:
"I feel like I can't even trust the competition with the way it is presented."
While Flay has shared the screen with a number of pals over the years,
he whipped up an all-new scandal by making a nemesis out of fellow chef and Food Network star,
Masaharu Morimoto. The former executive chef of Nobu was facing off against Flay
on a 2000 episode of "Iron Chef America." During the course of the showdown, Flay's
behavior turned a friendly competition into a headline-making embarrassment.
"Raise the roof, yo!"
Before the judges had even reached their verdict, Flay had flippantly declared himself the winner,
jumping on top of his cutting board. A stunned Morimoto declared to the cameras,
"Bobby Flay is not a chef. In my country, the cutting board is sacred."
If that weren't enough, it seems that Flay's declaration of victory was
also premature. Once they actually got a taste of both chefs' dishes, the judges ultimately
declared Morimoto to be the winner. Looking back, Flay later explained to the New York Times,
"It was like I killed [Morimoto's] mother. I had apparently disrespected [him].
That's the last thing I wanted. [But] it was no big deal. I do worse at a Knicks game."
It appears that Guy Fieri has long been a thorn in Bobby Flay's side.
Not only did Flay want $20 million more than Fieri's reported Food Network contract was worth,
but he also had a list of demands that a source described as, quote,
"gravely different than just cash" according to People.
Whatever demands Flay may have had, we may never know.
But what we can do is dig into that thing with Fieri a little deeper.
Fans have long suspected that Flay was no fan of the Mayor of Flavortown, which might make
sense given their vastly opposing styles. Flay plays up his image as a sort of culinary ladies
man and top restaurateur. Meanwhile, Fieri, with his shock of spiked dyed blonde hair, has made
a career out of going low brow. To the delight of fans, he routinely samples deep-fried dishes
dripping in sauce at hole-in-the-wall joints all over the country on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."
"I don't like to overdo it. There we are.”
Redditors believe that evidence of the chefs' icy relationship abounds,
with quite a few coming out on Fieri's more down to earth side. One user noted,
"[It's] a shame. Guy is genuinely a super nice guy.
Bobby Flay comes off as a bit more pretentious and my dude, Guy Fieri, is a man of the people."
Getting spotted with a beautiful actress isn't uncharted territory for Flay.
But it put his employers in a very awkward position when he was notably absent from
a major company gathering. And the situation was made even worse when Flay popped up around
the same time with a Hollywood movie star. Flay curiously skipped Food Network's "Iron
Chef Showdown" at the 2017 New York City Wine & Food Festival — an event he would normally
be expected to attend. Instead, Vanity Fair noted that he made time to have dinner with
Scarlett Johansson the same weekend and in the very same city. While Johannson's rep went on
the record to clarify that the actress and Flay were nothing more than friends,
it was nonetheless a relationship that Flay seemed to prioritize over his obligation to Food Network.
Of course, Johansson's not the only famous blonde Flay has been caught with in an
embarrassing scenario. Eyebrows were raised when he arrived on the scene to help January Jones
after the "Mad Men" actress crashed her car in 2010. Flay insisted the two were merely
acquaintances who had met only hours earlier, but Flay's ex-wife Stephanie March felt much
differently. She even went so far as to name Jones as one of several women Flay had cheated
on her with during the course of their marriage. Flay denied any wrongdoings, but rumors persisted,
with Flay widely speculated as being the possible father of Jones' son, who was born in 2011.
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus,
even more Mashed videos about your favorite celebrity chefs are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.