This Is What Distinguishes A Home Cook From A Professional Chef, According To Bobby Flay

If you're a home cook trying to beat Bobby Flay, you'll want to know the big tip he dropped on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" in July 2025. According to Flay, it's all about the seasoning. He says that chefs aren't afraid to push past what feels "safe" when it comes to salt and pepper. "We really go for it when it comes to seasoning," he told Fallon, adding that pros learn to taste as they go and adjust boldly. This is why, when you order something like a burger or steak at a restaurant, it has more depth than something you'd make at home. 

If it's not the seasoning, there's another tip that Flay likes to employ with his steaks and burgers: cooking them medium rare to ensure they keep that beefy flavor. Home cooks don't usually take risks likes these, and they often cook their beef at a temperature that's about 10 degrees higher than recommended to prevent them from turning out too rare. Flay's advice is to trust your ingredients, taste often, and add more seasoning than you think you need. If you do end up overdoing it, fellow celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has a buttery fix for oversalted foods.

Flay's confidence comes from experience. The so-called 10,000-hour rule, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his book "Outliers," suggests that true expertise comes after years of repetition, which a chef can rack up in about five years in the kitchen. That repetition builds a strong flavor palate. By the time they've seasoned hundreds of servings of roasted vegetables, sauces, and proteins, chefs know exactly how far to push flavor without tipping into overseasoned territory. At home, you never want to ruin your dinner by overseasoning it, which makes it harder to develop those same gut instincts. That's why Flay encourages people to season more boldly than feels comfortable and use spices that bring out the natural flavor of whatever they're cooking. 

Just like with Flay's "secret go-to" pantry staple, this is all about confidence in flavor. Whether it's a steak, a burger, or even a simple pan of roasted carrots, seasoning with confidence is what separates chefs from home cooks. So, don't be afraid to push the boundaries. You may surprise yourself, find a newfound confidence in the kitchen — or even end up feeling like you could outcook Bobby Flay.