It’s that time of year again, when the scent of pine needles mixes with the aroma of culinary competition. “Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown” returns with a New Year’s-themed episode, and while I’m generally immune to the forced merriment of holiday specials, the prospect of Bobby Flay’s potential kitchen meltdown is always a compelling draw.
This time, host Jeff Mauro orchestrates the festivities, bringing what I assume will be his signature brand of boisterous enthusiasm. Chefs Damaris Phillips, Eric Adjepong, and Brooke Williamson are tasked with making a New Year’s resolution we can all get behind: taking down Bobby Flay.
While Phillips’ Southern charm and Adjepong’s West African-inspired cuisine are certainly formidable, it’s Williamson’s track record that makes her the one to watch. Her victory on “Tournament of Champions” suggests she possesses the strategic chops and technical prowess to give Flay a serious run for his money.
Of course, the real question isn’t whether these chefs are talented (they are), but whether the show will deliver genuine culinary competition or devolve into the kind of predictable holiday fluff we’ve come to expect from Food Network.
Will there be awkward attempts at festive banter? Undoubtedly. Will we see close-ups of glistening glazed hams? Almost certainly. But will there be any actual surprises? That, my friends, is the million-dollar question. Perhaps a rogue sprig of rosemary will ignite Flay’s temper, or maybe Mauro will accidentally set off the confetti cannons prematurely. Either way, I’ll be watching.
“Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown” airs Tuesday, December 17 at 9 p.m. ET on Food Network.
