Sketchy Things About Bobby Flay Everyone Ignores
Bobby Flay is part of the elite circle of chefs who have their own television shows on major networks and are able to draw in many restaurant-goers by their name only. As an established Food Network star, he doesn't have to rely on his high-end eateries for his million-dollar status, although those don't hurt either. In the range of super nice chefs like Ina Garten to the often-screaming Gordon Ramsay, Flay falls somewhere in the middle. While he's not exactly soft-spoken, he also doesn't call hopeful chefs an "idiot sandwich."
Still, along the way, Flay got a reputation for being a bit shady. When asked by the Wall Street Journal about his "bad boy" status, he shot back, "I think there are a few people that have trumped me in that department." Regarding his controversial moment when he jumped on Chef Masaharu Morimoto's cutting board after winning "Iron Chef," Flay stated that while he got slammed for the disrespectful move, it made Food Network cooler. Morimoto, who was not too pleased with Flay stomping on his cooking supplies, would probably disagree. That wasn't the only sketchy moment of the "Beat Bobby Flay" star over the years, and certain incidents prove that he's not the wholesome chef everyone is led to believe.
Bobby Flay wanted to be the biggest Food Network star
In 2021, it was reported that the Food Network was ditching Bobby Flay. According to a source, it was because he wanted to be paid more than his fellow chef, Guy Fieri, who had an $80 million deal with the network and was the top earner at the time, per People. It turned out that Flay demanded a shocking amount of money to stay at Food Network. "Bobby wanted a contract in the ballpark of $100 million," the insider revealed, but the network gave Flay a big "nope." The source shared, "The two sides were just way too far apart. It became clear the two could not and would not be able to come to terms and so the network decided to move forward without him."
In the end, Flay got what he wanted and signed a contract with Food Network for three years, Variety reported. Although his salary wasn't revealed, it must have been big enough for him to stay on. "I'm going to be pitching a lot of things that we haven't seen when it comes to this kind of programming. I'm ready to turn the page and create a new chapter of what [foodie TV] is going to look like," the chef stated.
Bobby Flay reportedly failed to show up for his now-ex-wife
They say three times a charm, but not when it comes to Bobby Flay and marriage. In 2015, TMZ reported that Flay and his third wife Stephanie March were divorcing amid marital issues. A source revealed to the outlet that the chef didn't rush to her side when her appendix burst the year before and that she was furious about it. He reportedly visited her in the hospital the day after but left because of work obligations before she was even cleared to leave. To make matters worse, Flay spent their 10-year wedding anniversary at a wine festival with his team of assistants.
A source told E! News that Flay and March had been living separately for a few months, although the "Law & Order: SVU" star had "tried everything she could do to save the marriage." As if the divorce wasn't hard enough, the insider stated, "Stephanie is now the primary caregiver for her mom, who was recently diagnosed with cancer and is being treated in New York." Flay was the first to file for divorce, and despite having a prenup, the proceedings soon turned messy.
Bobby Flay's divorce was the result of an alleged affair
Bobby Flay not only left Stephanie March in the hospital to fend for herself after her appendix burst, but she also learned of his illicit three-year affair with his much younger employee. This was just one of Flay's many alleged cheating scandals. March's friend Maia Madison shared with Page Six, "She came to my house and was sobbing uncontrollably. She said, 'I can't believe the last 10 years of my life have been a lie.'" She added that Flay did attempt to work things out with March and attended couples counseling with her but things came to a head — and got even worse during the divorce proceedings.
As reported by TMZ, March refused the $5,000 per month prenup agreement she and Flay had signed, claiming that she had helped grow his success with suggestions regarding his businesses. TMZ also reported that Flay had cut off her credit cards, which she was using for day-to-day living expenses, and demanded that she settle or else he would kick March and her sick mother out of the house.
Ultimately, March was forced to leave their shared Manhattan house, along with her mom, per Page Six. "She has been staying there with her mother, who has been in poor health. It has been a very difficult time for her. It is unclear what her future living arrangement will be as she continues to care for her mother," a source stated.
Bobby Flay asked people to donate money to help pay his workers during the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic was especially hard on those in the service industry as restaurants had to shut down, which prompted Bobby Flay to start a GoFundMe to help his employees get paid. The Food Network star wrote, "The onset of this pandemic has literally crushed their ability to earn a living virtually overnight. Please find it in your hearts to give what you can. I will personally match up to $100,000." Flay stated that the money would go towards the workers of Mesa Grill, Bobby Flay Stea, Shark, and Gato.
While his heart may have been in the right place, Flay got flayed for being a cheapskate. "Bobby Flay (literally worth $30m) is really f***ing out here posting GOFUNDME INFO.... FOR HIS OWN EMPLOYEES. EAT. THE. RICH," an X user, formerly Twitter, wrote. "Bobby Flay you should be ashamed of yourself asking for working class people to raise $100,000 when you could open your wallet and pay them yourself. It wouldn't hurt you at all. Disgusting. The working class people Always fight because no one else will," another replied. After getting much backlash, Flay took down his tweet asking for donations, but the memory — and GoFundMe page — still lives on thanks to the internet.
Bobby Flay was sued for unfair labor treatment
It looks like Bobby Flay needs to keep a better eye on his restaurant staff. In 2009, a few workers at his New York City joints Mesa Grill and Bar Americain took legal action against Flay, claiming that the managers were unfairly doling out tip money, per Grub Street. The suit also stated that Flay's company made employees buy and wash the uniforms they were told to purchase but didn't compensate them. Additionally, one of the petitioners of the lawsuit, a Bar Americain employee, claimed to have been suspended after speaking out about the tip situation.
Flay ended up shelling out $800,000 to settle with the complainants, and after the attorney's fees were paid off, the rest of the money was distributed to the employees at three of his restaurants, the New York Post reported. The "Beat Bobby Flay" star maintained his stance that he didn't engage in any unethical behavior but chose not to go to court over the suit.
Bobby Flay created drama when he quit Iron Chef during filming
Was it a dramatic message to viewers or simply a prank gone wrong? In a 2017 taping of "Iron Chef Showdown," Bobby Flay took off his apron to reveal a shirt with the words, "This is my last 'Iron Chef' battle ever." The move was a complete surprise to the producers, who had no idea Flay would seemingly quit while filming in front of a live audience. He knew they wouldn't be able to edit his t-shirt out during post-production, which caused a bit of trouble with Food Network.
"I wanted everyone to know that this is my last Iron Chef battle. And my objective, though it was probably not the best idea, was that that's what would be filmed. When the camera's on you, that's what the viewer would see. So I did it," Flay shared at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (via People). "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," he added. The food competition star revealed that the network decided against airing the episode and despite it costing Food Network a lot of money, Flay stated, "It was no big deal."