Best Bobby Flay is so Predictable

[u/Sun_Blossoms]

Every episode is structured the same. They always have the person who loses the first round say something to the camera before they announce the winner of the first around. The loser always seems to say something like “I should’ve done this differently.” Or “I think we’re evenly matched.” And then they go home.

Also Bobby always wins. The judges know which dish is Bobby’s, he always uses some kind of chili. He wins more than he loses even when it makes no sense. The judges could praise the competitor’s dish and say something about Bobby’s dish is off and he’ll still win.

The judging isn’t actually blind either. Sometimes Bobby and the competitor don’t have poker face. They’ll react to a judges comment and the judge can see that reaction. A truly blind judging would put the judges in a separate room.

I feel like the show used to be fun but now after so many seasons it’s worn down.

[u/canadasteve04]

The judging is blind and done off camera while the food is still hot, then they come back and recreate the scene of them talking about the dishes in front of the contestants for the audience to see.

Yes they edit the show to try and make it suspenseful. Yes Bobby, with decades of competition cooking experience wins more than he loses. I don’t think either of these things should be surprising and they would also apply to a lot of other shows.

I will give you the point that it is annoying when Bobby’s dish isn’t even close to what they are supposed to be making and he still wins. I can give him some creative licensing when he modernizes or changes it up a bit, but sometimes he makes a dish that isn’t even vaguely recognizable as what it’s supposed to be and he should not win those episodes.

[u/NotQuiteGoodEnougher → u/canadasteve04]

I mean, it's possible the competitor dish no matter how 'authentic" might just not be that good.

[u/xriva → u/NotQuiteGoodEnougher]

I've also noticed that some do their "spin" on a classic dish and then Bobby does the version from culinary school, and he wins because his is "authentic."

[u/canadasteve04 → u/NotQuiteGoodEnougher]

Sure, I’m not saying it’s not. But the expectation should be that Bobby makes the dish. When he does an interpretation and it quite different but you can still sense that it is related to the dish he’s making it’s fine. When the judges say this is not “insert name of dish” at all, that should be a disqualification.

[u/Pelicanfan07]

Bobby doesn't always win. His winning percentage is 62%

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/Pelicanfan07]

So I was correct in saying “he wins more than he loses”

[u/Snarti → u/Sun_Blossoms]

You said “Bobby always wins”.

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/Snarti]

And then, if you had read further I said “He wins more than he loses”. Why is everyone ignoring that part of it?

[u/ForTheLoveOfOedon → u/Sun_Blossoms]

Because when you say two conflicting things people will always default to your first statement as it’s your “thesis”. Don’t want confusion? Proofread and edit.

[u/Snarti → u/Sun_Blossoms]

You’re quite insufferable.

[u/TrippyHomie → u/Sun_Blossoms]

That's kind of the point of the show?

[u/ladyscientist56]

Im pretty sure the reason why they have to make so many dishes is because the judges try the anonymous dishes in the back off camera and make their decision there first then come out and do it on camera but they already made their decision

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/ladyscientist56]

I didn’t know this, thank you.

[u/Curious_kitten129]

I don’t know what episodes you’re watching, but he doesn’t always win. His win ration is something like 60% I believe. And that stat makes sense for someone who is an Iron Chef with an insane history of competing against some ppl who rarely, if ever, compete. Of course he’d win more. Also, the second round of judging takes place backstage. When they taste for the camera it’s the second time. If you search the community there are quite a few posts that explain it.

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/Curious_kitten129]

So I was correct in saying “he wins more than he loses”.

[u/Background-Leopard24 → u/Sun_Blossoms]

You literally start the paragraph stating Bobby always wins. You qualify your statement that he wins more than he loses even when it makes no sense. He wouldnt keep a show going for so many seasons f he did not win more than he loses. It is blind taste test but the judges may be able to tell his cooking based on his style but often the competitors miss on time management, sloppy presentation or adding all of the elements such as crispy, sour etc

[u/tweedleb → u/Sun_Blossoms]

And you’re incorrect in saying “Bobby always wins.”

[u/Actual_Piglet5605]

It's a blind taste test away from camaras and the chefs. They pretend they are tasting for 1st time when we are shown taste test. So no its not scripted. I watched a segment on this.

[u/mmeeplechase]

I mean, it’s a very formulaic show, but I don’t think “Bobby always wins” is a fair criticism at all—he barely breaks half!

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/mmeeplechase]

And I also said “he wins more than he loses” so that point is valid. He wins more than he loses. They play so many episodes back to back of just Bobby winning that it creates this perception that he always wins.

[u/rck8981 → u/Sun_Blossoms]

I feel the same way with Alex vs America. She almost always wins… even against themes that she’s “not good” at. I want to believe it really is a blind tasting… but somehow Alex is never booted off the first round? And so often they show comments like her dish has a lot of flaws, then she somehow wins anyway?

[u/Curious_kitten129 → u/rck8981]

I will say with AvA she does lose more in the earlier round. So there are losses there. Just less overall losses.

[u/Sensitive-Instance51 → u/rck8981]

Thank you so much, that why I stopped watching because I refused to believe that she can't never lose in the first round some of the time.

[u/ropeseed420]

I'm just saying if there are pickled shallots on a dish...it's Bobby Flay"s dish.

[u/xriva → u/ropeseed420]

Crispy rice.

[u/Icy-Routine-7634 → u/ropeseed420]

Calabrian Chilies lol

[u/DripSnort]

NFL games are so predictable. One team gets the ball and then they go back and forth trying to score more points. The better team wins more than they lose too on top of it!

[u/OkSignificance1485]

You appear to have a very lopsided view of Bobby Flay and his competitiveness. Are you normally this negative or do you practice? Or maybe you just feel better trashing other people. Maybe you need to spend some time looking in the mirror and being honest with what you see.

[u/OkSignificance1485 → u/OkSignificance1485]

Could you beat Bobby Flay in a head to head? I'd wager not?

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/OkSignificance1485]

:/ I like Bobby Flay. I didn’t know it was wrong to criticize a tv show and the editing surrounding it. 😔 guess all movie critics and food critics are terrible people huh?

[u/Curious_kitten129 → u/Sun_Blossoms]

You didn’t criticize the show. You tore into it. I don’t watch the show other than reruns occasionally, but this wasn’t an example of someone who likes Bobby Flay. You may want to reevaluate. lol.

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/Curious_kitten129]

If I was going to tare apart the show I would’ve said “this show is shit!!” And not explained anything. I criticized the show. I brought up points of the show and explained why I feel the way I do about them. That’s criticism.

[u/Wild_Alternative_138]

I love Beat Bobby Flay & Triple Threat. He does not win all of the time. He is very gracious when he doesn’t win. Sometimes I think he’s let a chef win just because. 🙋🏻‍♀️Love Bobby Flay🥰

[u/BlackjackCounty]

Bobby definitely does not always win.

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/BlackjackCounty]

I also said that he wins more than he loses

[u/Tiredofthemisinfo]

I’ll put this as politely as I can, but you do know it’s a heavily edited television program. You know that right?

Heavily edited

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/Tiredofthemisinfo]

Yea and I’m criticizing the editing. The editing is predictable. I said that in the first paragraph that they always follow this formulaic procedure. There’s no suspense when you’ve picked up on how to tell which first round competitor wins and loses.

[u/Tiredofthemisinfo → u/Sun_Blossoms]

Maybe some people, hear me out, watch it for the hosts, the food and the banter. And it really doesn’t matter who wins, maybe? That’s why there is no prize other than being able to say, they beat Bobby Flay?

[u/Sun_Blossoms → u/Tiredofthemisinfo]

Okay but I never trashed anyone for liking the show. I like Bobby Flay as a chef. I just feel tired of the editing sometimes and I didn’t think that would be so terrible to say.

[u/Sun_Blossoms]

*Beat. My bad

[u/bob-leblaw]

The most irritating thing for me is the constant quick cuts. No shot is ever longer than 5 seconds.

[u/ForTheLoveOfOedon]

Bobby actually has a “low” winning percentage, at around 60%. It’s just that 6/10 is still more often than not so it creates the perception of him always winning as you’re watching episode-to-episode. Few people actually look at the bigger picture and crunch the numbers.

[u/maninthemoonpie]

Bobby wins approximately 65 percent of the time. Hardly all the time.

[u/ptazdba]

There's a wiki page with all the wins/losses for all the seasons. Out of curiosity, I downloaded all the data for wins and losses and Bobby wins roughly 65% of the time. I had thought it would have been higher, so he doesn't always win. It always boils down to taste with the judges because he doesn't even produce an authentic dish every time and still wins.

[u/scully360]

Literally, the one I watched last night, Bobby did not win.

[u/ScottMichael37]

There were 2 questions I had. 1: the judges always seem to be experts at the dishes the winner surprises with for most part. Maybe they have 2 sets of judges. Or could be scripted to your point. Also, they always seem to have everything right there on the shelves needed. How? There are some strange dishes. I have to run to 2 or 3 stores just to get stuff not that uncommon.

2: while it is a blind taste tests, the judges know if they see a dish with Fresno Chillies or sticky fried rice, they got to know it is his, right?

[u/Nesquik44]

Regarding the comments to the camera prior to the announce who is the winner, they actually mix it up once in a while. You are correct that typically the person commenting is the one going home but it's not 100% the case so you really never know.

[u/Antique_Arm_2759]

I love when Michael Simon is on… I’m not sure why but I just feel their interaction is genuine as is their friendship …. Pls keep Katie off speaking shows she does not have the speaking voice that makes you want to watch her home cooking ugh