The Real Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay Behind the Scenes
Celebrity chef, Bobby Flay, is an ever-present personality that can be found on The Cooking Channel and The Food Network, among countless other programs, and rightfully so. He's a highly accomplished chef, restauranteur, and mentor to aspiring chefs. On the air, he comes off as highly confident, undoubtedly sarcastic, but an overall good guy. His amicable interactions with show contestants and panel judges would not seem to indicate anything different. However, Bobby Flay behind the scenes provides evidence that he might not be the genuine person we see on television.
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Disrespect in 'Iron Chef Japan'
While competing in the show Iron Chef Japan, Flay was going against a highly-esteemed Japanese chef named Masaharu Morimoto. It was a fierce competition, but Flay acted highly inappropriately. Before the timer ran out on the clock, Flay ran and jumped on the cutting board to celebrate. Not only did he not win the competition, but in jumping on the cutting board, he desecrated what is considered sacred to the Japanese. Morimoto was not pleased and stated, "He’s no chef…He stood on the cutting board. In Japan, the cutting board is sacred."
Marital Issues
Bobby Flay's personal life hasn't been immune to criticisms, either. At one point, he was married to his now ex-wife, Stephanie March. Suffice it to say, the marriage wasn't a good one. In 2014, when March had her appendix rupture, he could not be bothered to come to her aid, and instead, sent his assistant while he continued to work. Aside from this isolated incident, rumors have continued to swirl around that he was having affairs with other women, including his personal assistant. And at the end of their relationship when the divorce proceedings had gone through, he canceled all of her credit cards, essentially leaving her with little to no money in her name.
Lawsuits with Employees
As if his antics on Iron Chef and within his marriage weren't enough, his employees in the multiple restaurants that he owns have filed lawsuits against him, maintaining that they were owed wages and much more. In a statement from the plaintiffs, they claimed, "... they had been cheated out of wages and tips and [sought] to recover minimum wages, overtime compensation and allegedly misappropriated gratuities." While Flay claimed he did nothing wrong, ultimately, he settled with the employees in the amount of $800,000.
What Is to Come of Bobby Flay?
The problem people have with Bobby Flay is not related to his ability to cook and entertain. It's his unprofessional behavior, overt cockiness, and perceived personal life filled with infidelity and dishonesty. There's no indication that his presence on television will take a hit from these antics, but it's worth knowing that his popularity is slowly dwindling and people are becoming more aware of who the real Bobby Flay is. Whether or not he can turn those opinions around, we'll just have to wait and see.
