The Shocking Amount Of Money Bobby Flay Reportedly Demanded To Stay At Food Network

Details are emerging on the real reason Bobby Flay is leaving the Food Network, just days after news dropped the chef was making a departure.

According to a report by Variety, the longtime chef is expected to leave the Food Network at the end of his current three-year contract, leaving fans disappointed. Flay first began his time at the network 27 years ago back in 1994, and has since starred in multiple shows including "Food Network Star," "Throwdown! With Bobby Flay," "Boy Meets Grill," "Beat Bobby Flay," and perhaps most well-known, "Iron Chef America." People reports Flay earned four Daytime Emmys thanks to his Food Network success, and was the first TV chef with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Flay's most recent work includes hosting "Bobby and Giada in Italy" with fellow TV chef Giada De Laurentiis, according to Delish. Promoting the new project, Flay admitted the Italian food program would mirror "Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives," hosted by Guy Fieri. But unfortunately for Flay, the one thing that didn't mirror Fieri was a hefty paycheck, eventually leading to Flay's surprise exit from the Food Network.

Sources close to Bobby Flay revealed to People the reason for the chef's departure from the Food Network was due to failed negotiations on Flay's contract.

"Bobby wanted a contract in the ballpark of $100 million," the source claimed, adding "the two sides were just way too far apart. It became clear the two could not and would not be able to come to terms and so the network decided to move forward without him." Despite the disagreements between Flay's camp and the Food Network, the source told the outlet the departure was "amicable" and "strictly business." Flay's request for $100 million contract comes after fellow Food Network star Guy Fieri landed an $80 million contract in May.

While Fieri has called his relationship with the Food Network a "chance of a lifetime," according to The Hollywood Reporter, Flay has had previous upsets with the network. Back in 2018, Flay quit "Iron Chef" unexpectedly while on air without pre-warning. "I've done over 100 'Iron Chef' competitions, and frankly they are exhausting," admitted the chef at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (via People). "The network was not thrilled."