Bobby Flay

Flay grew up on Manhattan's Upper East Side and developed an interest in cooking during childhood. At age eight, he asked for an Easy-Bake Oven for Christmas, and his father gave him both the oven and a G.I. Joe figurine as a compromise.

He dropped out of high school at 17 and began working in restaurants, including a pizza parlor, Baskin-Robbins, and Joe Allen in Manhattan's Theater District. Joe Allen recognized his talent and paid his tuition to the French Culinary Institute, where Flay graduated as a member of the first class in 1984.

After culinary school, Flay worked as a sous-chef and briefly accepted an executive chef position at Brighton Grill before leaving because he felt he was not ready to run a kitchen. He later worked with restaurateur Jonathan Waxman at Bud and Jams, where Waxman introduced him to the Southwestern flavors that became central to his culinary style.

Flay served as executive chef at Miracle Grill from 1988 to 1990. Restaurateur Jerome Kretchmer then offered him the opportunity to create Mesa Grill, which opened in New York City on January 15, 1991, and soon made Flay a partner. Flay and Laurence Kretchmer opened Bolo Bar & Restaurant in the Flatiron district in 1993. Bolo blended Spanish flavors with American ingredients and later received three stars from The New York Times after its menu was renewed with tapas.

Flay expanded Mesa Grill to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in 2004 and to Paradise Island in the Bahamas in 2007. The Las Vegas restaurant received a Michelin star in 2008. His later restaurant projects included Bar Americain, Bobby Flay Steak, Bobby's Burger Palace, Gato, Shark, and Amalfi. His first Bobby's Burger Palace opened on Long Island in 2008, and the chain reached 19 locations across 11 states and the District of Columbia at its peak.

Flay began appearing on Food Network in 1994 and became one of the original competitors on Iron Chef America. His competitive cooking appearances earned him the nickname "Iron Chef Flay." In an early battle, he lost to Masaharu Morimoto, then won a rematch in Japan.

His television work expanded through programs including Grillin' & Chillin', Boy Meets Grill with Bobby Flay, BBQ with Bobby Flay, Grill It! with Bobby Flay, Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, Brunch @ Bobby's, Worst Cooks in America, Beat Bobby Flay, and Bobby's Triple Threat. On Throwdown!, he challenged cooks known for particular dishes or styles, while Beat Bobby Flay placed selected chefs in competition against him.

Flay has also appeared as himself or in acting roles in Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Entourage, Younger, Scooby-Doo! and the Gourmet Ghost, and One Delicious Christmas. He appeared with his daughter, Sophie Flay, on The Flay List, a program centered on their favorite food places.

Flay was married to chef Debra Ponzek from 1991 to 1993, to Kate Connelly from 1995 to 1998, and to actress Stephanie March from 2005 to 2015. He and Connelly have one daughter, Sophie Flay.

Flay has described himself as a cat person and has owned Maine Coon cats named Nacho, Stella, and Canelo. He launched the cat food company Made by Nacho with Elly Truesdell and Katja Lang in 2021, naming the brand after Nacho.

Flay won the James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year award in 1993. He later received James Beard recognition for broadcast media and was named to the foundation's Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America.

He has won four Daytime Emmy Awards for culinary hosting and programs, including Boy Meets Grill, Grill It! with Bobby Flay, and Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction. He was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame in 2015 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the same year.