Legendary Chef Shares Moving Tribute Following Profound Loss

Food Network superstar Bobby Flay‘s father, Bill Flay, has died. 

Bobby Flay posted on Instagram to thank well-wishers, and he shared a few photos, as well as screenshots of the obituary that will run in the February 26 edition of The New York Times. Bobby Flay wrote that his father, who passed away on February 23 at the age of 93 from natural causes, lived a full life and never stopped his “quest for education,” becoming widely regarded as “the consumate gentleman and a true renaissance man.” 

The moving words generated an ever-growing list of responses from fans and colleagues such as the Food Network’s Aarti Sequeira, who said, “Gosh. I’m so so sorry Bobby.” 

Bobby Flay Pays Homage to His Father as ‘the Consumate Gentleman’

The first public report of Bill Flay’s passing came from Bobby Flay’s daughter, Sophie Flay, who posted an announcement on Instagram and wrote, “My grandfather was my whole world.” In a touching tribute, Sophie Flay, a reporter for ABC7 in Los Angeles, stated that her grandfather was a Navy lieutenant who spoke four languages and “was the biggest jokester.” 

“We never just walked down the street, we always had some sort of silly dance incorporated into each step. Giving a wave or a hello to passersby. Bill Flay charmed everyone he met,” Sophie Flay wrote. 

Bobby Flay touched on the special bond between his father and his daughter, referencing “a now infamous family moment” during which Bill Flay said to Sophie, then 16 years old, “the only thing I want from you is for you to be an interesting person.” 

“Two years later, she wrote her entry essay to the University of Southern California about that moment, and she lives with that exchange in mind every day,” Bobby Flay wrote. 

Bobby Flay’s Daughter Shares Moving Words After Grandfather’s Passing

A February 22 article in People offers support for that statement.  

In an exclusive interview with the magazine during the 2025 South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Bobby Flay heaped praise on Sophie for her on-the-ground reporting of the wildfires that devastated much of Southern California throughout January. In the midst of the chaos that destroyed over 10,000 homes and structures, forever impacting the lives of so many, Sophie Flay never wavered, wearing a face mask, goggles and other protective equipment as she amplified important information on safety and evacuation measures. 

“She was spectacular,” Bobby Flay said. 

And Sophie Flay never showed any nervousness; Bobby Flay, who followed his daughter’s coverage, couldn’t say the same. 

“The fires were literally behind her. I was just like, ‘Do you feel safe?’ She’s like, ‘Yeah,’” he told People.  

“But I was so proud of her because, most importantly, she was giving out really important information to people that needed it. And she was just so good. I was just like, ‘Who is this girl?’”