Throwdown! with Bobby Flay
GenreReality TV, Cooking
StarringBobby Flay
Country of originUSA
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes92
Production
Running time30 minutes (with commercials)
Original release
NetworkFood Network
ReleaseJuly 13, 2006 (2006-07-13) –
March 10, 2010 (2010-03-10)

Throwdown! with Bobby Flay is a Food Network television program in which celebrity chef Bobby Flay challenges cooks renowned for a specific dish or type of cooking to a cook-off of their signature dish.

At the beginning of each show, Flay receives – via bicycle messenger – a package detailing the chef he is to compete against as well as the dish. Examples of opponents include a skilled chili maker or a famous wedding cake designer. After practicing and preparing the item in question, Flay shows up for a surprise competition (or "Throwdown"). During the competition, both chefs prepare their particular version of the dish, and both are then evaluated by local judges to determine a winner.

Format

Each show includes a mini-biography about the chef who is to be challenged, shown before the challenge takes place. The content for the biography is actually collected as part of an elaborate ruse or setup, where the chef or cook is told that they are going to be featured on a fictitious Food Network show. As part of the show, the featured chef (and their associated restaurant, if any) hosts a small party, which is then unexpectedly "crashed" by Bobby Flay. Upon Flay's arrival, he reveals the true nature of the show, and the "Throwdown" is initiated.

In the Food Network's test kitchen, Flay and his two sous-chefs (Stephanie Banyas and Miriam Garron) experiment and prepare the particular dish, often opting for a variant of the dish.

When Flay makes his appearance at a rival's event, he is usually greeted with surprise and confusion, although there has been one occasion where the challenged chef figured out that Flay would be appearing for a throwdown and ended up challenging him. Flay's comment was that he "had been set up."[1] However, the rival usually quickly gets over the initial shock and warms up to the challenge. After the dishes are prepared, the two chefs taste each other's creations and are usually quite complimentary towards one another. Finally, the dishes are evaluated by one or more connoisseurs or notable veterans in that field (via a blind taste test), with the winner then being announced.

Each episode ends with a challenge from Flay looking directly into the camera and saying, "All you chefs keep doing what you do, but ask yourself this..." Finished by the featured chef saying "are you ready for a Throwdown?"

The format of the show does not edit or disguise Flay's lack of knowledge of technique regarding cooking for the challenge. He often makes use of New York City-area experts to teach him basic techniques. In other instances, he acknowledges the traditional approach to the dish but then explains how he will make it more modern or more his own style of cooking with various added ingredients.

Flay's record is 32 wins, 1 tie, and 68 losses. Flay has a winning record (5 wins and 4 losses) with cake challenges, winning throwdowns for cheesecake and cupcakes in season 2, coconut cake and red velvet cake in season 5, and German chocolate cake in season 6. Flay lost throwdowns for wedding cake in season 1, Bûche de Noël in season 5, and Carrot cake and Pineapple Upside-down cake in season 8.

As of 2021, Bobby Flay wins about 66% of the time on Beat Bobby Flay.

Episodes

Season 1

Episode Show number Food Chef Restaurant Location Winner
1 BT0101 Chowder Benjamin Sargent Hurricane Hopeful Surf Bar Brooklyn, New York Bobby Flay
2 BT0102 Wedding cake Michelle Doll Michelle Doll Cakes Brooklyn, New York Michelle Doll
3 BT0103 Chili Cindy Reed Wilkins Cin Chili & Company Houston, Texas Tie
4 BT0104 Jerk chicken Angela Shelf Medearis Austin, Texas Angela Shelf Medearis
5 BT0105 Steak Eric Dominijanni Twentynine Palms, California Eric Dominijanni
6 BT0106 Breakfast Lynn Winter Lynn's Paradise Cafe Louisville, Kentucky Lynn Winter
7 BT0107 Burgers Susan Mello Queens, New York Bobby Flay
8 BT0108 Jambalaya Emile Stieffel New Orleans, Louisiana Emile Stieffel
9 BT0109 Cocktails Tobin Ellis Las Vegas, Nevada Bobby Flay
10 BT0110 Doughnuts Mark Israel Doughnut Plant New York City, New York Mark Israel
11 BT0111 Cheesesteak Tony Luke, Jr. Tony Luke's Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tony Luke
12 BT0112 Ice cream Jeff Sommers Izzy's Ice Cream Saint Paul, Minnesota Jeff Sommers
13 BT0113 Fried chicken Jasper Alexander Hattie's Restaurant Saratoga Springs, New York Jasper Alexander
14 BT0114 Barbecue Butch Lupinetti Mount Laurel, New Jersey Butch Lupinetti
15 BT0115 Pizza Giorgio Giove Brother's Pizzeria Staten Island, New York Giorgio Giove

Season 2

Episode Show number Food Chef Restaurant Location Winner
1 BT0201 Chocolate Fritz Knipschildt Chocopologie / Knipschildt Chocolatier Norwalk, Connecticut Fritz Knipschildt
2 BT0202 Bulos Flavored Ice Cream Keith Young New York City, New York Keith Young
3 BT0203 Meatloaf Jack and Rocco Collucci Collucci Brother's Diner Hyannis, Massachusetts Jack and Rocco Collucci
4 BT0204 Macaroni and cheese Delilah Winder Delilah's Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Bobby Flay
5 BT0205 Fish and chips Mat Arnfield A Salt and Battery New York City, New York Mat Arnfield
6 BT0206 Cheesecake Alan Rosen Junior's Brooklyn, New York Bobby Flay
7 BT0207 Cuban roast pork Roberto Guerra Roberto Guerra
8 BT0208 Spare ribs Buz Grossberg Buz and Ned's Richmond, Virginia Buz Grossberg
9 BT0209 Cupcakes Terri Wahl Auntie Em's Kitchen Eagle Rock, California Bobby Flay
10 BT0210 Hot dogs Richard, Gloria, and Beverly Pink Pink's Hot Dogs Hollywood, California Bobby Flay
11 BT0211 Buffalo wings Drew Cerza The Anchor Bar Buffalo, New York Drew Cerza
12 BT0212 Sticky buns Joanne Chang Flour Bakery Boston, Massachusetts Joanne Chang
13 BT0213 Hot browns Joe and John Castro Brown Hotel Louisville, Kentucky Joe and John Castro

Season 3

Episode Show number Food Chef Restaurant Location Winner
1 BT0301 Crepes Nessa Higgins & Andrea Day Boykin Flip Happy Crepes Austin, Texas Nessa Higgins & Andrea Day Boykin
2 BT0302 Puffy tacos Diana Barrios-Trevino La Hacienda/Los Barrios San Antonio, Texas Diana Barrios-Trevino
3 BT0303 Jerk ribeye Nigel Spence Ripe Kitchen and Bar Mount Vernon, New York Nigel Spence
4 BT0304 Chicken fried steak[lower-alpha 1] Paula Deen Uncle Bubba's Oyster House Savannah, Georgia Paula Deen
5 BT0305 Pie Janet LaPosta & Ally Taylor Pie Moms Rockland, Maine Bobby Flay
6 BT0306 Crab cake Mitch Weiss The Lobster Dock Boothbay Harbor, Maine Bobby Flay
7 BT0307 Muffuletta Mike and Jack Serio[lower-alpha 2] Serio's Deli New Orleans, Louisiana Mike and Jack Serio
8 BT0308 Blondies Tom Finney and Mark Ballard Sugardaddy's Sumptuous Sweeties Columbus, Ohio Tom Finney and Mark Ballard
9 BT0309 Meatballs Mike Maroni Maroni Cuisine Northport, New York Mike Maroni
10 BT0310 Ice cream sundae Julia Reynolds Ice Cream Man Greenwich, New York Bobby Flay
11 BT0311 Lasagna Mark Bove Bove's Café Burlington, Vermont Bobby Flay
12 BT0312 Turkey and dressing Renee Ferguson Geneva, Illinois Bobby Flay
13 BT0313 Gingerbread Johanna Rosson Macomb, Illinois Johanna Rosson
  1. ↑ Highlights aired on Paula's Party
  2. ↑ Jack Serio died soon after this episode aired.[2] A remembrance graphic appeared at the end of the program.

Season 4

Episode Show number Food Chef Restaurant Location Winner
1 BT0401 Biscuits and jam Carol Fay Loveless Cafe Nashville, Tennessee Bobby Flay
2 BT0402 Ice pops Irma and Norma Paz Las Paletas Nashville, Tennessee Irma and Norma Paz
3 BT0403 Chocolate chip cookies Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald Levain Bakery New York Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald
4 BT0404 Eggplant parmesan David Greco Mike's Deli Bronx, New York David Greco
5 BT0405 Chicken and waffles Melba Wilson Melba's Harlem, New York Melba Wilson
6 BT0406 Pretzels The Pretzel Boys The Pretzel Boys Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Bobby Flay
7 BT0407 Arroz con pollo Jorge Ayala La Fonda Boricua New York Jorge Ayala
8 BT0408 Grilled cheese sandwich The Pop Shop The Pop Shop Collingswood, New Jersey Bobby Flay
9 BT0409 Dumplings Sohui Kim The Good Fork Red Hook, New York Sohui Kim
10 BT0410 Pulled pork Lee Ann Whippen Wood Chicks BBQ Chesapeake, Virginia Lee Ann Whippen
11 BT0411 Arepas Maribel and Aristides Barrios Caracas Arepas Bar Manhattan, New York Maribel and Aristides Barrios
12 BT0412[lower-alpha 1] Grilled pork tenderloin
vegetable skewers
grilled whole fish
cocktails		 Butch Lupinetti
Delilah Winder
Nigel Spence
Tobin Ellis		 Miami, Florida Bobby Flay
  1. ↑ A special "Rematch on the Grill" episode featuring 3 former Throwdown contestants. Ellis showed up at the Throwdown itself to challenge Flay separately.

Season 5

Episode Show number Food Chef Restaurant Location Winner
1 BT0501 Coconut cake Robert Carter Peninsula Grill Charleston, South Carolina Bobby Flay
2 BT0502 Moules frites Teddy Folkman Granville Moore Washington, D.C. Teddy Folkman
3 BT0503 Seafood gumbo Poppy Tooker New Orleans, Louisiana Poppy Tooker
4 BT0504 Paella Gerard Nebesky Gerard's Paella Occidental, California Gerard Nebesky
5 BT0505 Chile relleno Ramiro Arvizu and Jaime Martin del Campo La Casita Mexicana Los Angeles, California Ramiro Arvizu and Jaime Martin del Campo
6 BT0507 Brown bag apple pie Dan Scheel and John Bauer The Elegant Farmer Mukwonago, Wisconsin Dan Scheel and John Bauer
7 BT0506 Red velvet cake Raven Dennis Cakeman Raven Confectionery Brooklyn, New York Bobby Flay
8 BT0513 Bûche de Noël François Payard Payard New York François Payard
9 BT0508H Deep-dish pizza Marc Malnati Lou Malnati's Pizzeria Chicago, Illinois Marc Malnati
10 BT0509H Falafel Einat Admony Taim Falafel and Smoothie New York Bobby Flay
11 BT0510H Chocolate bread pudding Jerome Chang and Chris Chen Dessert Truck New York Jerome Chang and Chris Chen
12 BT0512H Cioppino Phil DiGirolamo Phil's Fish Market Moss Landing, California Phil DiGirolamo
13 BT0511H Sushi Philip Yi Sushi Central Los Angeles, California Philip Yi

Season 6

Episode Show number Food Chef Restaurant Location Winner
1 BT0601H Pad Thai Nongkran Daks Thai Basil Chantilly, Virginia Nongkran Daks
2 BT0602H Ravioli Robert Durso Sr. & Robert Durso II Durso's Pasta & Ravioli Company Flushing, New York Bobby Flay
3 BT0603H Chicken pot pie Sandy Pollock & Crystal Cook Casserole Queens Austin, Texas Bobby Flay
4 BT0604H Blueberry pancakes Neil Kleinberg and DeDe Lahman Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant New York Bobby Flay
5 BT0605H Chicken matzoh ball soup Jeff Nathan Abigael's New York Jeff Nathan
6 BT0606H Shrimp and grits Joe Barnett Washington, Georgia Joe Barnett
7 BT0607H North Carolina ribs and baked beans Ed Mitchell The Pit Raleigh, North Carolina Ed Mitchell
8 BT0608 German chocolate cake Aliyyah Smith Make My Cake Harlem, New York Bobby Flay
9 BT0609H Fried fish escovitch Sheron Barnes Mo Bay Restaurant Harlem, New York Sheron Barnes
10 BT0610H Country Captain Lee Bros Charleston, South Carolina Lee Brothers
11 BT0611H Fish tacos Cesar Gonzales Mama Testa Taqueria San Diego, California Cesar Gonzales
12 BT0612H Green chile burger Bobby Olguin Manny's Buckhorn Tavern San Antonio, New Mexico Bobby Olguin
13 BT0613H Sloppy Joes Andrew and John Schnipper Schnipper's Quality Kitchen New York Bobby Flay

Season 7

Episode Show number Food Chef Restaurant Location Winner
1 BT0701H Fajita Father Leo Patalinghug Emmitsburg, Maryland Father Leo Patalinghug
2 BT0702H Barbecue chicken Brad Turner Fort Lee, Virginia Bobby Flay
3 BT0703H Lobster club sandwich Lynn Archer The Brass Compass Cafe Rockland, Maine Lynn Archer
4 BT0705H Pumpkin pie Michele Albano Michele's Pies Norwalk, Connecticut Bobby Flay
5 BT0704H Feast of the Seven Fishes The Pellegrino Family Rao's Las Vegas, Nevada The Pellegrino Family
6 BT0706H Manhattan fish chowder John Addis Fish Tales Brooklyn, New York Bobby Flay
7 BT0707H Liege Belgian waffles Thomas DeGeest Wafels & Dinges Truck New York Thomas DeGeest
8 BT0708H Brownies Shawna Lidsky & Katherine Hayward Vermont Brownie Company South Hero, Vermont Shawna Lidsky & Katherine Hayward
9 BT0709H Burritos Victor & Miguel Escobedo Papalote Mexican Grill San Francisco, California Victor & Miguel Escobedo
10 BT0710H Omelets Misty Young Squeeze In Truckee, California Bobby Flay
11 BT0711H Stuffed French toast Omar Giner La Isla Restaurant Hoboken, New Jersey Omar Giner
12 BT0712H Cuban Sandwich Nick Vazquez Azucar Cuban Cuisine Jersey City, New Jersey Nick Vazquez

Season 8

Episode Show number Food Chef Restaurant Location Winner
1 BT0801H Hot dogs Nick Suarez Brooklyn's Cheesiest Dog Brooklyn, New York Nick Suarez
2 BT0802H Quiche Rodney Henry Dangerously Delicious Pies Baltimore, Maryland Bobby Flay
3 BT0803H Chicken Tikka Masala Chef Marianna Saffron Hudson, New York Bobby Flay
4 BT0804H Pineapple upside-down cake Marilyn and Sheila Brass Cookbook authors Cambridge, Massachusetts Brass Sisters
5 BT0805H Carrot cake Vera Stewart Very Vera Augusta, Georgia Vera Stewart
6 BT0806H Huevos rancheros Teresa and David Matias Mosaic Cafe Tucson, Arizona Bobby Flay
7 BT0807H Banana cream pie Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito Baked Bakery Brooklyn, New York Bobby Flay
8 BT0808H Chicken wings Colette Burnett Super Wings NY Brooklyn, New York Colette Burnett
9 BT0809H Chicken-fried steak Kent Rollins Red River Ranch Chuckwagon Catering Texas Kent Rollins
10 BT0810H Whoopie pies Carol Ford and Karen Haase Cranberry Island Kitchen Portland, Maine Carol Ford and Karen Haase
11 BTO811H Moussaka Diane Kochilas New York Bobby Flay
12 BT0812H Lobster Mac and Cheese Cal Hancock Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company Cundy's Harbor, Maine Cal Hancock

References

  1. ↑ Episode BT0209H "Cupcakes"
  2. ↑ "Jack Serio Obituary - New Orleans, LA | The Times-Picayune". Obits.nola.com. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
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