Throwdown! with Bobby Flay
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Throwdown! With Bobby Flay is a Food Network television program where famous chef Bobby Flay challenges cooks who are particularly renowned for a specific dish or type of cooking. 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.
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[edit] 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.
Prior to the "Throwdown", in the Food Network test kitchen, Flay and his two sous-chefs (Stephanie and Miriam) work to concoct their recipe for that particular dish or field of cooking. Since Flay realizes that he may be unable to win a straight "apples to apples" contest, he often opts for a variant of the dish which he feels will impress the judges. In many cases, multiple versions of the dish are tested and later prepared, with Flay deciding which one to submit to the contest only at the last minute.
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."[citation needed] However, the rival usually quickly gets over the initial shock and warms up to the challenge. Since the competition always takes place on the "home turf" of this rival chef, Flay generally has to bring his own ingredients and cooking devices, particularly since he sometimes makes use of ingredients which the other chef does not. 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.
Uniquely, the format of the show does not edit or disguise Flay's lack of knowledge of a particular technique regarding the cooking performed for the challenge. He often makes use of New York City-area experts to teach him basic techniques.
Flay's record is 16 wins, 1 tie, and 34 losses.
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Season 1
| Episode | Show Number | Food | Chef | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #BT0101 | Chowder | Ben Sargent | Bobby Flay |
| 2 | #BT0102 | Wedding cake | Michelle Doll | Michelle Doll |
| 3 | #BT0103 | Chili | Cindy Reed Wilkins | Tie |
| 4 | #BT0104 | Jerk chicken | Angela Shelf Medearis | Angela Shelf Medearis |
| 5 | #BT0105 | Steak | Eric Dominijanni | Eric Dominijanni |
| 6 | #BT0106 | Breakfast | Lynn Winter | Lynn Winter |
| 7 | #BT0107 | Burgers | Susan Mello | Bobby Flay |
| 8 | #BT0108 | Jambalaya | Emile Stieffel | Emile Stieffel |
| 9 | #BT0109 | Cocktails | Tobin Ellis | Bobby Flay |
| 10 | #BT0110 | Doughnuts | Mark Isreal | Mark Isreal |
| 11 | #BT0111 | Cheesesteak | Tony Luke | Tony Luke |
| 12 | #BT0112 | Ice cream | Jeff Sommers | Jeff Sommers |
| 13 | #BT0113 | Fried chicken | Jasper Alexander | Jasper Alexander |
| 14 | #BT0114 | Barbecue | Butch Lupinetti | Butch Lupinetti |
| 15 | #BT0115 | Pizza | Giorgio Giove | Giorgio Giove |
[edit] Season 2
| Episode | Show Number | Food | Chef | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #BT0201 | Chocolate | Fritz Knipschildt | Fritz Knipschildt |
| 2 | #BT0202 | Chicken cacciatore | Keith Young | Keith Young |
| 3 | #BT0203 | Meatloaf | Jack and Rocco Collucci | Jack and Rocco Collucci |
| 4 | #BT0204 | Macaroni and cheese | Delilah Winder | Bobby Flay |
| 5 | #BT0205 | Fish and chips | Mat Arnfield | Mat Arnfield |
| 6 | #BT0206 | Cheesecake | Alan Rosen | Bobby Flay |
| 7 | #BT0207 | Cuban roast pork | Roberto Guerra | Roberto Guerra |
| 8 | #BT0208 | Spare ribs | Buz Grossberg | Buz Grossberg |
| 9 | #BT0209 | Cupcakes | Terri Wahl | Bobby Flay |
| 10 | #BT0210 | Hot dogs | Richard, Gloria, and Beverly Pink | Bobby Flay |
| 11 | #BT0211 | Buffalo wings | Drew Cerza | Drew Cerza |
| 12 | #BT0212 | Sticky buns | Joanne Chang | Joanne Chang |
| 13 | #BT0213 | Hot Browns | Joe and John Castro | Joe and John Castro |
[edit] Season 3
| Episode | Show Number | Food | Chef | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #BT0301 | Crepes | Nessa Higgins & Andrea Day Boykin | Nessa Higgins & Andrea Day Boykin |
| 2 | #BT0302 | Puffy tacos | Diana Barrios-Trevino | Diana Barrios-Trevino |
| 3 | #BT0303 | Jerk Ribeye | Nigel Spence | Nigel Spence |
| 4 | #BT0304 | Chicken Fried Steak | Paula Deen | Paula Deen |
| 5 | #BT0305 | Pie | Janet LaPosta & Ally Taylor | Bobby Flay |
| 6 | #BT0306 | Crab cake | Mitch Weiss | Bobby Flay |
| 7 | #BT0307 | Muffuletta | Mike and Jack Serio | Mike and Jack Serio |
| 8 | #BT0308 | Blondies | Tom Finney and Mark Ballard | Tom Finney and Mark Ballard |
| 9 | #BT0309 | Meatballs | Mike Maroni | Mike Maroni |
| 10 | #BT0310 | Ice Cream Sundae | Julia Reynolds | Bobby Flay |
| 11 | #BT0311 | Lasagna | Mark Bove | Bobby Flay |
| 12 | #BT0312 | Turkey and Dressing | Renee Ferguson | Bobby Flay |
| 13 | #BT0313 | Gingerbread | Johanna Rosson | Johanna Rosson |
[edit] Season 4
| Episode | Show Number | Food | Chef | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #BT0401 | Biscuits and jam | Carol Fay | Bobby Flay |
| 2 | #BT0403 | Chocolate chip cookies | Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald | Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald |
| 3 | #BT0404 | Eggplant parmesan | David Greco | David Greco |
| 4 | #BT0405 | Chicken and waffles | Melba Wilson | Melba Wilson |
| 5 | #BT0406 | Pretzels | The Pretzel Boys | Bobby Flay |
| 6 | #BT0407 | Arroz con pollo | Jorge Ayala | Jorge Ayala |
| 7 | #BT0408 | Grilled cheese | The Pop Shop | Bobby Flay |
| 8 | #BT0409 | Dumplings | Sohui Kim | Sohui Kim |
| 9 | #BT0410 | Pulled pork | Lee Ann Whippen | Lee Ann Whippen |
| 10 | #BT0412 * | Grilled pork tenderloin, vegetable skewers, grilled whole fish, cocktails | Butch Lupinetti, Delilah Winder, Nigel Spence and Tobin Ellis | Bobby Flay |
- A special "Rematch on the Grill" episode featuring 3 former Throwdown contestants. Ellis showed up at the Throwdown itself to challenge Flay separately.
