What’s So Cool About Bobby Flay?

Do you love watching the Food Network?

I do.

Shows like Next Food Network Star, Iron Chef and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives are great escapes, and unlike scripted shows, you actually learn something you can take action on that night if you want.

The Food Network is also a great example of a business that never loses sight of exactly what their customers (viewers) want from them and… rather than try to control it to their will… instead ask: How can we deliver really big on this agreement?

Just listen to Susie Folgelson and Bob Tuschman discuss what viewers will and won’t respond to when judging contestants on “Next Food Network Star” and you’ll get a taste of what the smartest execs do so much better than those who assume the market shares their vision — rather than doing the necessary work of asking and testing.

One of the most common pitfalls facing contestants vying to become an on-air talent — and the judges who’ll be stuck promoting them — is failing to posses that rare mix of true food expert and likable TV personality.

Shining with your audience of friendly dinner guests from behind the stove in your own kitchen is a million miles from staring into that cold, cold camera lens in a room full of unimpressed union crew and producers.

As the contestants quickly find, the fact that TV chefs make it all look so easy is the actual talent that makes them stars.

That’s why I was so impressed to see Chef Bobby Flay come walking into his Midtown New York restaurant, Bar Americain, last week when my wife and I had dinner there.

It wasn’t just that he showed up and gave a thrill to tourists by posing for photos. That would have been cool in a “I guess he really does own this place” kind of way. What impressed me (no I didn’t bother him for a photo, making me about 1/10 cooler than every other tourist there) was that was there to WORK.

Upon arrival, he walked straight back to the kitchen and put on his chef’s coat and proceeded to inspect the food before it left the kitchen. Sure, as the chef/owner that’s his job, and he’s no doubt fairly compensated…

… but you could tell it was the part he loved most.

Flay was more at home joking with his staff and fussing over the dishes than he was working the constant line of gawkers and photo seekers lining the kitchen entrance. Even though he didn’t appear to roll his eyes at the task, it clearly wasn’t his motivation.

This struck me because the inherent problem of manufacturing celebrity chefs to the growing audience of armchair foodies is that soon every struggling actor who can make a grilled cheese sandwich without burning the toast is going to be clamoring for his own TV show.

And, just like so many actors in the early 90’s were buying stand-up comedy material hoping to create a path to sitcom stardom (and stealing valuable stage time from true comics and paying audiences)…

… some of these poser chefs and their contrived “culinary point of view” will ultimately slip through the filters and water down the broth of celerity chefdom.

But, whatever.

Right now there’s the delicious memory of that blackened Prime Rib I devoured at Bar Americain last week. The meat prepared to melt-in-your-mouth perfection and those zesty spices dancing around my tongue for a full minute after each bite.

Washed down with a pure California Cabernet with flavors of dark berries and milk chocolate.

And the peach pie topped with insatiably creamy blueberry sherbet and mascarpone creme.

My god, I’m hungry again just thinking about it.

Eat well, friends. It reminds us why we work so hard during those other hours of the day.

Kevin

P.S. Another favorite Food Network show is “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” where the chefs describe the best foods they’ve ever eaten – often discovered in the least likely places. I’d love to hear about your favorite meals in the comments section.

Tagged as: Bar Americain, Bob Tuschman, Bobby Flay, celebrity chefs, Food Network, Next Food Network Star, Susie Folgelson