Bobby Flay Celebrated Bestie Michael Symon's Birthday In The Best Way

Since Bobby Flay and Michael Symon are fellow Food Network stars, it's no surprise that they know each other quite well. But the two chefs aren't just colleagues — they're actually close friends. We've gotten some glimpses of their relationship on social media, like when Symon had a sweet response to Flay's Food Network deal and when Flay made a hilarious dig at Symon's Thanksgiving grocery list.  

In honor of Symon's birthday this year, Flay made a video on Instagram. He started off by calling Symon "the best guy ever" and unpacked some frozen dishes that Symon sells through Goldbelly, including kielbasa with sauerkraut and two types of pierogis with horseradish sour cream. One pierogi was filled with beef cheek, which Flay explained is a signature dish served at Symon's Cleveland restaurant, Lola Bistro. Aside from being on the restaurant's menu, though, this dish has another meaning and personal connection for the chef — showing just how much thought Flay put into his birthday tribute to Symon.

Symon once told Cleveland Magazine that the dough recipe for his pierogis is his grandfather's, and he grew up watching his grandparents make them. Plus, the kielbasa he sells on Goldbelly is sourced from Cleveland, Symon's hometown where he developed his passion for preparing meat dishes. Symon is known for his tips about smoking meat, making kielbasa a fitting dish for Flay's celebration of his friend. Unsurprisingly, Instagram got excited about the lovely tribute video.

Flay and Symon seem to have an amazing relationship, and people were quick to take notice. One fan called Flay an "awesome chef & mentor and great friend to your fellow chefs!" while another noted, "The bromance is strong." Others took the opportunity to wish Symon a happy birthday and share their favorite things about him. One fan wrote, "Happy Birthday @chefsymon You have the best laugh and such a big heart. @goldbelly looks fantastic!!" 

Although Symon's birthday was the reason for Flay's video, people also praised his cooking demo and how he outlined each step in the prep process, from crisping the pierogis in buttery onions to plating the kielbasa with grainy mustard and dill. One Instagrammer said, "I am so ordering these for next weekend. Thank you for the demo which tells me exactly how I'm going to be cooking them."