Chefs and Stars Unite: Bobby Flay & Brooke Williamson’s BottleRock Showdown
Yet another gourmet circus rolled into Napa Valley over Memorial Day weekend—this time starring Food Network’s Bobby Flay, cookbook author Brooke Williamson, baseball icon Ken Griffey Jr. and Hollywood’s Kate Hudson. BottleRock Napa Valley isn’t just a music festival; it’s a high-stakes cooking demo free-for-all where celebrity chefs fight for your Instagram likes. Because nothing says fine dining like juggling sous-vide torches between Green Day and Justin Timberlake set breaks.
On Sunday, May 25, 60-year-old Flay and 55-year-old Griffey Jr. shared a demo stage to show off their griddle prowess, per Instagram photos and Getty images. One might think Griffey’s Hall of Fame swing would translate to flipping perfect pancakes—but let’s be honest, most festival attendees can barely flip a plastic cup. Brooke Williamson, 46, and 46-year-old Hudson took their turn on Saturday, May 24, with the actress draping her arms around the chef for a selfie that looked more like a promo shoot for BFFs than a cooking class. Watching Kate Hudson attempt a chiffonade must have been therapeutic for anyone recovering from kale confinement.
Flay and Williamson officially went public with their romance in March after years of friendly Food Network crossovers, PEOPLE reports. “They have been friends for a while and recently decided to jump in,” a source told People at the time. Their shared experiences—including Williamson’s divorce last year—apparently made perfect seasoning for budding love. It’s sweet how heartbreak becomes the secret ingredient for a celebrity relationship.
The pair has previously collided on Bobby’s Triple Threat and even duked it out on Beat Bobby Flay, so teaming up for NBC’s Celebrity Family Feud spin-off seems like the logical next step. On May 22, Flay teased an Instagram Stories preview with Williamson, their daughter Sophie and chefs Ayesha Nurdjaja and Michael Voltaggio. Nothing says “family night” like watching grown adults answer burning questions about soap operas in front of a studio audience.
Next up, the duo will co-headline Food Network’s BBQ Brawl on June 1, giving America another reason to wonder why they care about who can sear brisket faster. For comparison, BottleRock’s culinary lineup also featured Antoni Porowski and Kristen Kish demos, while headliners included Justin Timberlake, Noah Kahan and Green Day. Because the weekend hadn’t been Instagrammable enough already.
There you have it: chefs playing referee with baseball legends, reality stars and rock anthems—all under the guise of fine dining. Well, there you have it. Humanity at its finest.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Dotdash Meredith
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
