See What’s on the Menu When the Kids Take Over 'Beat Bobby Flay'

It’s Bring Your Child to Work Day on Beat Bobby Flay, and today’s agenda is mighty delicious.

Lately, we’ve been feeling sentimental about our own families, so we couldn’t resist rewinding back to a 2016 episode to witness what happens when kids take over the set, from the audience to the judging table to the host position.

Proud dad of now-30-year-old Sophie Flay, Bobby said, “Judging by the looks of this place, you kids are looking to teach me a lesson.”

Admittedly, the chefs are still grown-ups. But the rest of the “Like Father, Like Daughter” challenge allows the under-18 set to step in — no résumés, interviews or negotiation required. (Thank goodness!)

To kick off the episode, Bobby BFF and chef Scott Conant entered the arena with his giggling 6-year-old Ayla perched atop his shoulders. Revealing a homemade arts and crafts project — a painted heart that read "Uncle Bobby" — Ayla proved that she and her dad meant business. Ayla ripped that paper heart in half before she exclaimed, “I’m going to beat you!”

A Battle of the Bow Ties

In their attempt to do just that, the Conants come to the table with two talented contenders: chefs Lee Knoeppel and the late Max Hardy. To kick off the competition, Bobby introduced the secret ingredient that they must make the star. Ranking right up there with fusilli and macaroni, it’s quite possibly the most kid-friendly cut of pasta ever: farfalle (aka bow ties).

Max quickly decided on Four Cheese Mac and Cheese With Shrimp and Bacon as an ideal way to satisfy kids and adults alike, all in one dish. Turns out, it’s a battle of the bacon macs, as Lee began to prep fried Bacon Mac and Cheese Balls With Homemade Ranch. (“Kind of like children’s food on steroids,” he said.)

It came down to the final seconds, but both chefs plated their dishes and proudly presented them to the Conants. Lee’s ranch was finger-licking good, according to Ayla. Still, there may have been too much cheese and bacon — and not enough bow tie pasta — to take the crown, Scott added. As for Max’s meal, Ayla appreciated how the shrimp and cheese played together, and Scott applauded the perfectly cooked pasta. That being said, the quantity of cheese erred on the overwhelming side, Scott said.

This was an extremely close call, the Conants confirmed. But Lee proceeded to the next round with what Scott deemed “the perfect little bite. Ayla can’t stop eating these things!”

Lee is the perfect challenger for a kids-themed episode, as he’s the executive chef of Barcade, an arcade bar brand based in New York City. Although he whips up meals and snacks to keep guests in the game, after winning Round 1, Lee looked at Bobby and confidently said, “Make no mistake, I came here to work.”

Say 'Cheese'

It was then time for Lee to turn the tables and challenge Bobby to his signature dish: Grilled Cheese. With 45 minutes to bring what’s generally a simple sandwich to the table, Ayla and Scott agreed that these recipes needed to be beyond basic.

Wasting zero time, Lee began slicing onions to star in his homemade fig jam. This would be sandwiched between bread alongside prosciutto, basil aioli and three types of cheese (Gruyère, mozzarella and Parmesan) for a pressed sandwich that “just has everything you need,” Lee explained. On the side? Homemade beet chips, which Lee described as “like potato chips, but fun color for the kids.”

Bobby is determined to take the judges’ taste buds on a trip with his Italian Grilled Cheese with Parmesan, fontina and mushrooms — plus a side of tomato soup. As he peeled tomato after tomato, Bobby began to sweat and fret: “Forty-five minutes to make soup from scratch? I hope this gamble pays off.”

Blink and you might miss it, but Bobby and Lee both rely on one of our favorite grilled cheese secrets. Rather than stacking up slices, both chefs relied on hand-shredded cheese. Compared to pre-shredded cheese sold in bags, this melts like a dream and is easy to disperse from “crust to crust,” as Sandwich King Jeff Mauro likes to say.

Another key consideration? “Medium heat,” Bobby said. “You want it to get crusty, but you don’t want the bread to get burned before the cheese actually melts all the way.”

The Junior Judges Chime In

As they finished plating, Bobby admitted that he was a bit hesitant about whether the judges would jive with mushrooms. At the same time, Lee was wishing for more time to pop his sandwiches in the oven to cook the center a bit more. But the dinner bell rang and the chefs had to present their masterpieces.

Since the Conants have been on Team Lee from Take 1, they invited three culinary-minded kids to act as the unbiased judges for a blind tasting. Lee’s fig jam was a stand-out, the precocious judges declared. The beet chips erred on the oily side, though, and the cheese wasn’t quite fully melted. Bobby’s crunchy sandwich satisfied, yet was a bit shy on the cheese, the judges agreed. And the mushrooms? Too mushy for one judge.

The Final Verdict

Ayla, who is now 16, had the pleasure of revealing the results … “The winner is: Bobby Flay!”

Lee conceded that he felt “crushed and defeated, but it was really fun to compete against the best.” Bobby couldn’t resist wrapping things up with a dad joke: “Lucky for me, my grilled cheese stands alone.”