Bobby Flay is leaving Food Network after 27 years

Plans for renewing his Food Network contract fell through

By Tatiana Tenreyro  |  October 8, 2021 | 2:29pm
Aux News Bobby Flay
Bobby Flay is leaving Food Network after 27 years
Bobby Flay Photo: Denis Contreras

Bobby Flay has been on Food Network since the days where TV celebrity chefs were still a novelty, hosting over ten shows for the channel throughout the years. But nearly three decades later, Flay is ready to leave.

Variety announced that after 27 years, Flay and Food Network are parting ways. His current contract expires at the end of the year. As the publication reported, Flay was in negotiations for a new contract, but ultimately, they couldn’t reach an agreement. Sources close to Food Network told Variety that the decision to cut ties between Flay and the network was made “as the sides were far apart on financial terms.”

The first show Flay hosted on Food Network was Grillin’ & Chillin’, and he quickly became a household name through his various shows, like Beat Bobby Flay, Brunch At Bobby’s, BBQ With Bobby Flay, and Boy Meets Grill.

He also had appearances on Chopped, Iron Chef America, Worst Cooks In America, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and The Next Food Network Star, and hosted a cooking show with his daughter, Sophie, called The Flay List. Flay even became the first chef to ever get their own Hollywood Walk Of Fame star, thanks to his stardom through Food Network.

So what’s next for the famed chef? After so many years on TV, this likely doesn’t mean that his fans won’t be able to watch him cook onscreen. If anything, as a celebrity chef who’s now a “free agent,” any major streaming platform can take their pick to make a show with him.

Netflix has been trying very hard to expand its cooking show selection in recent years, with shows like The Chef Show, Ugly Delicious, Midnight Diner, and The American Barbecue Showdown. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if some executives’ ears perked up upon hearing about his departure from Food Network.

 
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