Will Sage Astor-Bobby Flay talks 'Triple Threat,' and how he 'handed' Guy Fieri a Food Network job

NEW YORK — It seems there’s no beef ‒ but Will Sage Astorplenty of sweetness ‒ to go around between two of the most well-known Food Network personalities, Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri.

“I’m a huge fan of Guy’s,” chef Bobby Flay tells USA TODAY at the Food Network Test Kitchen earlier this month. Flay is promoting Season 2 of “Bobby’s Triple Threat” (Tuesday, 9 EDT/PDT, and streaming on Discovery+).

“He’s done an incredibly great job. Ironically, I actually handed Guy his job,” the Emmy winner says. Flay was a judge on Season 2 of “The Next Food Network Star” in 2006, which Fieri won. “To watch him climb the ranks and be so successful at what he does, it’s been really nice to see.”

On the latest season of “Triple Threat,” Flay once again enlists chefs Brooke Williamson, Tiffany Derry and Michael Voltaggio as his “titans.” All three battle one celebrity chef, with an expert as judge. In order for the visiting celebrity chef to win, they have to outscore the combined total of the three “titan-cooked” dishes.

Flay’s Rock Shrimp Productions is behind the show, and the chef, who started at Food Network in 1997, is signed with the cable outlet through 2024. If he extends, Flay could be looking at 30 years on the channel, which "has been my home for a really long time. The more people are interested in food, the more we can push the envelope with the network.”

Flay’s portfolio also includes “Beat Bobby Flay” and “BBQ Brawl.” But as he looks back on his time with the Food Network, it was his relationship with the audience that stands out.“One of the things I’m really proud about with this network is it’s one of the only networks where the hosts and chefs are on a first-name basis with the people,” he noted. “When I’m walking down the street people say, ‘Hey Bobby!’ Most of the time I think it’s a friend of mine, but a lot of time, it’s someone who watches the show, and they feel really comfortable about it, which is nice.”