Influencing the American Table with Bold Flavors and Big Ideas

Bobby Flay, the flame-haired chef from Manhattan, is one of America's most widely acclaimed - and recognized - chefs. Since the days of Gael Greene's choice of Mesa Grill as best restaurant in 1992, Flay's star has continued to rise. His second restaurant, Bolo received a rave three-star review from The New York Times and Bar Americain continued Flay's success when it opened in April 2005 in mid-town Manhattan. In July 2006, Flay opened up his first-ever steakhouse, Bobby Flay Steak at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ. Flay extends his talents and energies to a line of food products, four cook books, and two television shows.

The recognition that Flay has gained at Mesa Grill for his mouthwatering dishes has built his reputation as a major force not only in New York's culinary scene but also nationwide. In May 1993, he was voted the James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year, an award that honors the country's most accomplished chef under the age of 30. Flay later received The French Culinary Institute first "Outstanding Graduate Award" in 1993, and now serves there as Master Instructor. And his first book, Bobby Flay's Bold American Food (Warner Books, 1994), won the 1995 International Association of Culinary Professionals award for design. Not one to rest on his laurels, Bobby has authored three more cookbooks-From My Kitchen to Your Table (Clarkson Potter, 1998), Boy Meets Grill (Hyperion, 1999) and Bobby Flay Cooks American (Hyperion, 2001). Boy Gets Grill (Scribner, 2004) and his latest Bobby Flay Grilling for Life (Scribner 2005) hit the bookstores with a unique approach to healthy recipes prepared on the grill.

Flay's national achievements don't stop there -- he currently stars in five national cooking shows on the Food Network, "Hot Off the Grill with Bobby Flay," which earned him a nomination for a Daytime Emmy, and "Food Nation," an adventure through America's varied cooking regions, "Boy Meets Grill," which finds him happily manning the grill once again and "BBQ with Bobby Flay," where he searches for the best bbq in the country. June 2006 saw the debut of "Throwdown with Bobby Flay," where he embarks on a mission to challenge the best of the best in different areas of cooking. Flay is also the Food Correspondent of "The CBS Early Show" where he informs a national audience about seasonal dishes and ingredients.