User reviews

I have watched several of the episodes and Bobby Flay wins some and loses some. The premise of the show is that Bobby Flay challenges other cooks and chefs in their specialty. Although Bobby doesn't have the same flair that Emeril has, but he makes up for it with his charm and personability. I always learn something about cooking when I watch his shows, whether it be Throwdown, Boy Meets Grill or Iron Chef America. His cooking style is very flavorful and very American in nature. He seems like an average guy when he challenges the other competitors. The first episode I saw, he challenged a Chowder King. The Chowder King submitted a monkfish chowder and Bobby submitted a corn chowder. Bobby won this Throwdown but the next one I watched, he challenged a wedding cake designer/baker. Bobby lost this challenge but did win in the category of taste. I saw Bobby (a grill expert) lose to a Soldier with a flair for grilling. Bobby also won a different challenge in a burger throwdown. It is a great show. The recipes shared by both Bobby Flay and the challengers is worth watching the show.

The "Throwdown" formula is simple. Highly-trained chef and host, Bobby Flay, gets his staff to convince hometown cooking heroes that Food Network wants to make a feature about them. Instead, Bobby Flay shows up, and tries to show that he can do a better job than the local chefs at their specialty, even though Flay just learned to make their dish a week ago. It's like promising a local swim champ that CNN wants to feature him for being such an inspiration with a new technique--but then, they send Michael Phelps to show the kid that he actually sucks compared to an Olympian. Having Bobby Flay duke it out with great local chefs is a cool idea, but I don't know why he has to ambush them and crush their dreams all at once.

Okay, here is the poop scoop, the dope pope, the skinny benny...

"Throwdown with Bobby Flay" is not just another glorification of Bobby Flay. Yes he is highlighted in all his glory and presented unto you as the Magnificent Kitchen Chameleon with his portable kitchen wares and his entourage of helper elves, BUT.... the show is not so much about how Boby Flay rocks, can rock, or even could rock against anyone and everyone. This show is actually about the people he challenges. It actually highlights the other person. Bobby Flay becomes the challenger in a much larger version of Kitchen Stadium. The show is like a video game where Bobby is the player who much travel all over and do battle against those he would encounter. To what end??? Hell, I dunno, maybe just for poots and chuckles. No real finale, just good clean fun.

Hell, Bobby rarely even wins these things. The show is basically free advertising for those he challenges. You can't tell me these people have not seen a big boost the sale of their wares after a showing the episode. In fact I think I have actually seen Bobby win only two challenges, and both times that arrogant fools needed to be taken down a notch. Those fools were the bartender jerk, and the annoying Mac and Cheese lady. ( And don't even get me started on her pointless Mac and Cheese recipe. Too many high priced cheeses and sh complicated the worlds easiest dish. I'm glad she lost!)

And there you have it. The show is about turning on the world to the people, places and food of the challengers. It's not about Bobby Flay and his ego. It's about showing off the other folks and what they do. He is just the catalyst for fun and advertisement.