Bobby Flay will stay at Food Network after dispute over a new contract

Variety

The celebrity chef and Food Network have reached a three-year deal that will keep Flay at the cable network for his 30th anniversary. The news comes one month after Variety reported that Flay was expected to leave Food Network at the end of 2021 after 27 years because the two sides "were far apart on financial terms" after extensive negotiations. "The celebrity chef, restaurateur and author has set an exclusive pact that will keep him in the Discovery family through the middle of the decade and up to his 30th on-air anniversary with the cabler," reports Variety's Cynthia Littleton. "The new contract also expands the scope of content opportunities available to Flay’s Rock Shrimp Productions, which produces most of his shows for Food Network. And the wide-ranging deal comes just as Discovery is poised to grow significantly through its pending merger with WarnerMedia." Flay tells Variety that he had taken up meetings with other platforms in recent weeks. “Every single major network and single streaming service has, to use a pun, a very big appetite for this programming,” he says. But Flay says he realized that Food Network was the best fit for him. “I have an amazing family at Food Network and a great foundation. And I have a sizable library of food television here,” says Flay. “I’m a lucky person. I grew up in a time when this country finally decided that food was important.” Courtney White, president of Food Network and food streaming content for Discovery, says of Flay's new deal: “We are thrilled to continue Bobby Flay’s long-standing relationship with Food Network. He captivates our audience with his incredible culinary skill, fierce competitive spirit and his trademark ability to share a deep passion for food."