This Was Bobby Flay's First Job In A Restaurant
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is a renowned figure in the culinary industry. He's also a popular TV personality, known for his extraordinary talent and appearances on shows such as Beat Bobby Flay, Bobby and Giada in Italy, BBQ with Bobby Flay, Brunch At Bobby's, and more.
According to Biography, Flay was always drawn to cooking and made an active effort to be in the kitchen as a child. He would assist his mom while preparing grocery lists, cook snacks of his own after school, and once even asked for an oven as a Christmas present.
However, the aspiring chef wasn't keen on academia, and quit school when he was 17. After that, Flay decided to work in the restaurant industry and get acquainted with the trade. His first job, as it turns out, was instrumental in helping him get his foot in the door and make a name for himself, setting the way forward for more opportunities.
Flay put in work as a busboy
According to The Wall Street Journal, Flay was certain that high school was just wasn't meant for him. "I really had no interest in doing any school work whatsoever," he recalled. "My father, who is very much a scholarly guy, said: 'Well, you're going to have to get a job then.'" Flay did exactly that and got himself a gig at a pizza restaurant, Baskin Robbins, and finally as a busboy at a restaurant owned by his dad.
This was a temporary gig and after a couple of weeks, Flay was asked whether he'd like to be a part of the kitchen staff. He said yes, and at that point transitioned from front of house to back of house. Flay worked really hard and did so well in the kitchen that his boss said he'd be happy to cover his tuition at the French Culinary Institute. This was a turning point in the chef's life, as it was then that he discovered that his passion lay in the culinary space.