What Anthony Bourdain Thought Of Bobby Flay's First Restaurant

It's no secret that Anthony Bourdain had no shortage of opinions. Whether it was in his books, like "Kitchen Confidential," or his television shows — "No Reservations," for example — Bourdain was never shy about letting people know what he thought — including his opinions about other food personalities, celebrity chefs, and even Yelpers.

Food Network celebrities like Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri were certainly part of that group. Bobby Flay was another celebrity chef Bourdain didn't mind taking a few shots at, but that didn't stop him from visiting Flay's signature restaurant — Mesa Grill in Las Vegas — during a 2005 episode of "No Reservations." Bourdain admits to having been less than kind to Flay in the past, but goes into the dinner with an open mind. "I've always thought the chef should be rated by the food he puts on the table," Bourdain says in the voiceover. "And that will be our focus tonight."

The meal starts with tuna tartare, which Bourdain calls the "most overdone dish on the planet" while conceding that it is still tasty. That's followed by roasted shrimp tamale that he was impressed with and a smoked chicken and black bean quesadilla that he hated "like poison." His dinner with a friend closes with a nicely cooked filet and potatoes, which Bourdain enjoyed. Overall, he seemed satisfied with the dinner at Mesa Grill, outside of that poisonous quesadilla.

At one point, Flay owned Mesa Grill locations in Vegas, New York City, and the Bahamas. As for the one that Anthony Bourdain visited in Vegas, it actually earned a Michelin star in 2008. But, in 2021, following the pandemic, Flay chose to shut down the Mesa Grill and replace it with an Italian concept — Amalfi, which is still open today. Flay's dishes at Amalfi include a wide range of pastas, a whole roasted fish, chicken Parm, a 24-ounce bone-in Prime ribeye, plus many more.

In a 2018 "Today Show" interview with Bobby Flay, the chef talks about his relationship with Bourdain — admitting that, while they weren't great friends, the two had no animosity toward each other. Flay says he was a huge fan of Bourdain's shows. "He created an amazing amount of awareness," Flay said, adding that Bourdain used food as his vehicle to do that. Flay also shares one of the last times he saw Bourdain — in a hotel pool swimming with his daughter.

Though we don't know if Bourdain ever visited the Mesa Grill again — or any of Bobby Flay's other restaurants — he seemed to really enjoy his meal at this restaurant. While Flay had been a target of Bourdain in the past, Bourdain did seem to soften a bit through the years — and it's encouraging to see there was never really any bad blood between the two.