Why Bobby Flay's Barbecues Are Never Potluck-Style

More than just about anything else, Bobby Flay is a massive fan of a great backyard barbecue. Whether it's cooking up his signature Fourth of July pork chops or cooking his burgers to medium — not medium rare — Flay loves manning the grill. Of course, therein lies the reason why he rarely hosts potluck-style cookouts; people rarely bring their own offerings to Flay's barbecues due to the assumption that he'll be making all the food anyway.

Flay revealed the situation on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," where he explained how he is typically the only one doing the cooking, with one notable exception: actor Jon Hamm's wife, Anna Osceola. "Anna, she's amazing. Whenever she comes over, she always brings dessert. She made this sour cherry crisp, it was amazing," Flay recalled, referencing his 2025 Fourth of July barbecue. Still, Flay was on his own as far as the main meal was concerned. "She was the only one that brought food," he admitted, "Everybody else was like, 'Feed me, Bobby. Let's go.'"

While it's one thing to not host potlucks at his home, the namesake of Food Network's "Beat Bobby Flay" rarely gets the chance to eat his friends' dishes whatsoever. This revelation comes to the surprise of many, including Flay himself, who came to terms with the phenomenon during his "Tonight Show" appearance. When he was asked if he attended a lot of summer barbecues in his free time, he admitted, "Actually, I don't. I do not get invited. People don't want to cook for me, so I have to invite all my friends over to my house."

Ultimately, despite Bobby Flay insisting that the people around him shouldn't feel stressed about cooking for him, Jimmy Fallon pointed out how intimidating cooking — and especially grilling — can be those less talented than Flay. Plus, considering Flay has more than a few TV series and cookbooks dedicated solely to grilling and barbecuing, it's not surprising that people would rather enjoy one of Flay's artfully-crafted dishes. In fact, Fallon proved this point quite well when he said he would gladly cook burgers for Flay — as long as the celebrity chef provided guidance along the way. "I would probably ask you for a little help," Fallon admitted, "I wouldn't let you stay away from the grill."