Gastromical

Now here we have Super Chef Bobby Flay, good guy and all around Bud. Bobby wins most often on Iron Chef but I don’t think that he beat Sakai from the Japanese show, I felt that the judges at the time were tasting a bit Provincially at the time not used to the French Wizardry of Master Chef Sakai… but It’s to late now to roll back time, still I did see that the dishes prepared by Sakai were a cut above Bobby’s ’styling’s’, as it were, I’m sure that Jeffrey Stiengartten would surely agree with me on this point. He himself was probably prepared for a Barbeque moment or two and the Great Iron Chef from the Original Iron Chef Show was as ‘Tip Top’ as ever. It would perhaps be wise for Bobby to admit as much someday, if not on his Death Bed than at least at a party somewhere in his near future.

It would do Bobby good and would clear up some consternation from the actual Chairman over in Japan, who undoubtedly is still rather ’steamed’ about the whole thing. As I myself am as well! But that said Bobby Flay is a very fine cook, one who will only ‘Age’ into a finer specimen of the culinary arts as he grows older in wisdom and experience!

By LARRY GETLEN

June 1, 2008

The Food Network’s most famous face dishes about impressing foodies and being a high school dropout

Bobby Flay has had so many shows on the Food Network, it’s surprising his face isn’t on the channel’s logo. Iron Chef Flay, who’s married to former “Law & Order: SVU” actress Stephanie March, can currently be seen on “Boy Meets Grill,” “Iron Chef America” and “Throwdown! with Bobby Flay.” Soon he’ll add “Grill It! With Bobby Flay” to that illustrious lineup. The culinary wunderkind, who began cooking in high-end Manhattan restaurants at 17 and was one of New York’s star chefs before he hit 30, juggles all this activity with cooking as often as possible at his two Manhattan haunts, Mesa Grill and Bar Americain. As if that’s not enough, he will also join the Food Network reality competition “The Next Food Network Star” tonight at 10 as a celebrity judge - because really, it’s just not a true Food Network show without him.

When you’re in the middle of judging, are you ever thinking, “Man, I’d really rather be cooking right now”?

Without a doubt. Cooking is the thing I’m most passionate about, whether it’s cooking on television or, even more so, in my restaurant. But I try to focus on exactly what I’m doing at that moment. I wear a couple of different hats on the Food Network and in my career, but the one thing it all revolves around is food. It would be one thing if I was acting on a TV show and owning restaurants, but this way, food is always the common denominator.

learned anything new about cooking recently?

I just had somebody on my new show, “Grill It,” and learned about something I’d never eaten before called knotweed. It’s a weed that grows in many people’s gardens, it’s very invasive, and I learned that if you grill it, it actually has great flavor - sort of peppery, slightly bitter, but really a nice hearty green.

What differentiates you from the pack as a chef?

I reach for big flavors, whether through chili peppers, fresh dried chilies or things like roasted or toasted garlic. It’s the place where I’m able to separate myself from a lot of people who might say, “I’m cooking with local ingredients,” or, “I like to cook Mediterranean food.”

Americans have become more knowledgeable about food. Does that make it harder to impress people?

No. Just because they see something on the Food Network, that doesn’t mean they’ve tasted it. People know there are lots of things out there they haven’t tried, and should. I’ve always found that people are really happy about trying something new. So I think it’s made it easier, just because they know there’s a whole new world of food out there.

Why is working in a kitchen so difficult?

I think because you have to combine speed with finesse and stamina. So when there’s lots of people trying to put those three things together, it creates a very emotional place. When it’s going well, it’s great. When it starts to falter, it can be a very high-pressure place.

You were suspended from high school. Why?

You have to tell me which high school you’re talking about, because I either dropped out or got thrown out of a couple of them. I was not a good high school student. I’m actually a graduate of the City of New York, because I got my high school equivalency diploma. I just had no interest in doing schoolwork, period. There was no magic to it. It just wasn’t the way I wanted to learn.

PICKING hIS BRAIN

“When Stephanie and I travel to Europe, we make it really simple. Basically, we’re there to have

lunch and dinner.”

“I think the Kentucky Derby

is one of the best American sporting events.”

“Ireland is a terrific country, a small country that has so much to offer. It’s my sort-of home country, although my family’s been here for about five generations. When it comes to food, it has a not-so-great reputation, but I’ve had some unbelievable meals there, especially when it comes to the fish and wild game they’re so well-known for.”

“The thing I love to do more than anything is hang out with my daughter - I have a 12 year-old. Going to her soccer games brings so much joy to me.”