Bobby on the Beat: “Amalfi Las Vegas, Salt Hank's with Jimmy V, Crab Louie with Brooke Williamson”

Host: Bobby Flay
Guests: Brooke Williamson, Jimmy V
Date: December 1, 2025

Overview

In this lively and intimate episode, Bobby Flay sits down with his partner and renowned chef Brooke Williamson for a candid conversation about their culinary journeys, evolving relationship, and honest thoughts on food trends, TV cooking competitions, and running restaurants. The episode also features a vibrant on-site review from “America’s food critic” Jimmy V, who braves the line at the viral Salt Hank’s for New York’s most buzzed-about French dip. Throughout, Bobby and Brooke’s banter brings listeners behind the kitchen (and personal life) doors for warmth, wit, and wisdom about the joy—and grind—of the food world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brooke Williamson’s Culinary and TV Journey

[00:46 - 06:00]

• Top Chef vs Food Network:

  • Brooke reflects on her two stints as a Top Chef competitor (winning once) and contrasts the intensity of isolation and drama on Top Chef with the different headspace of Food Network competitions.
  • Quote:
    • “Top Chef...they really kind of put you in this bubble...my nerves were at their highest probably in my entire life.” – Brooke [01:30]
  • Bobby shares the difference for him:
    • “I love being able to put on my chef coat, and it’s like my shield from the world.” – Bobby [06:07]

• On Cooking and Performing:

  • Brooke admits she feels “terrible stage fright” when performing but finds comfort in cooking—even on camera.
  • “If I am cooking and doing what feels comfortable, I actually don’t even notice the cameras.” – Brooke [01:53]

• Approach to Cooking Challenges:

  • Brooke focuses on what she wants to eat, not just impressing judges:
    • “I don’t think about the judge, really. I think about making good food.” – Brooke [03:20]
  • She visualizes dishes completely before starting, stressing the importance of presentation and seasonality.

2. Brooke’s Chef Resume and Restaurant Evolution

[04:10 - 06:00]

• Brooke details her ascent from executive chef at Boxer in Los Angeles to multiple restaurant openings—Amuse Cafe, Beechwood, The Triple, Playa Provisions, and more—with a note on her flexibility and focus on seasonal, produce-driven menus.
• Quote:
  • “The menu at Playa Provisions is forever changing because...it’s really apparent what season it is with produce. That’s kind of how my brain works.” – Brooke [09:30]

3. Inside Bobby’s Amalfi: Menu Development

[06:38 - 08:32]

• Bobby gives a mouth-watering, behind-the-scenes walk-through of five Amalfi Las Vegas dishes:

  • Casa Franco & arugula salad (prosecco vinegar-honey dressing)
  • Mezze rigatone with tomato cream, sausage, Calabrian chile
  • Roasted baby eggplant with mascarpone, ricotta, oregano pesto
  • Delicata squash with roasted skin, brown butter, pine nuts, fried sage
  • Pumpkin agnolotti with ricotta, pumpkin puree, brown butter, pine nuts, sage

• Quote:

  • “Once I’m standing at the stove, I feel like in a sporting event.” – Bobby [09:00]

• Brooke appreciates the way Bobby comes alive when talking about food:

  • “You have that energy at home, at events—you come alive just talking about food.” – Brooke [09:04]

4. Classic Meets Modern: Bobby’s Crab Louie for Brooke

[10:21 - 12:35]

• Bobby crafts a “dressed up” Crab Louie salad for Brooke, honoring her love of old-school classics. His version features Dungeness crab, a homemade Thousand Island dressing, and a high-low lettuce mix:
  • “Just let it kind of like fall from the clouds.” – Bobby [11:13]
  • Brooke gives her approval, praising the texture, crunchy iceberg, and mustardy dressing:
    • “This is a dream come true salad.” – Brooke [12:30]

5. Their Relationship: Origin Story and Setting the Record Straight

[12:37 - 19:14]

• First Meeting:

  • They reminisce about judging together on "Supermarket Stakeout," initial impressions, and their shared food instincts.
  • “When you’re on the same page with somebody, it feels like an instant connection.” – Brooke [15:05]

• Slow-Burning Romance:

  • Bobby describes how friendship blossomed into love:
    • “I got to know you really well as a friend, first and foremost. And then...it very slowly, very slowly started to develop.” – Bobby [17:45]

• On Commitment:

  • Bobby gifted Brooke a diamond ring, clarifying rumors:
    • “We’re not engaged, but we’re committed. Is that fair?” – Bobby [19:14]
  • Brooke: “That was really sweet. And yes.” [19:14]

6. The Power of Food, Travel, and Learning Together

[19:44 - 20:28]

• Bobby and Brooke discuss their ongoing curiosity, love for travel, and how food continues to bond them:
  • “I’m enjoying my food...as it pertains to you. I love talking about food with you, going to eat with you, cooking with you. I learn from you all the time.” – Bobby [19:57]

7. Introducing Jimmy V: America’s Food Critic at Salt Hank’s

[20:32 - 24:14]

• Bobby sets up Jimmy V’s segment as a new recurring feature:

  • “He’s the everyman when it comes to food...He’s not going to like every single thing.” – Bobby [21:11]

• Salt Hank’s Review: [21:17 - 24:14]

  • Jimmy delivers an exuberant, honest review of the viral French dip:
    • “The jus is crazy good...the bread is crunchy. I understand why people wait in line...drop the effing mic, this is great!” – Jimmy V [22:29]
    • “No joke—every single thing...is excellent. You’re throwing darts at the bullseye.” – Jimmy V [23:06]
    • “It’s addictive. You dunk, you eat, you dunk, you eat. It’s crazy.” – Jimmy V [23:55]
  • Interview with Salt Hanks’ owner on the impulsive beginnings of the shop.

• Bobby and Brooke affirm the hype, with Brooke suggesting she only wanted more horseradish but agreeing on “top notch” quality.

  • “When you have that much volume, sometimes quality’s hard to keep up with. I felt like the quality was really top notch.” – Brooke [25:05]

8. Social Media, Virality, and Changing the Chef Game

[25:41 - 26:21]

• Discussion on the shift from getting discovered by networks to building followings through social media:
  • “He didn’t grow up in the generation of ‘hopefully a network will see me and put me on TV.’ He did it himself...He delivers.” – Bobby [25:41]
  • “There’s something to be said for social media...where you make people crave it and that’s all they can think about.” – Brooke [26:04]

9. Personal Touches and Preview of “Date Night with Brooke”

[26:35 - 28:27]

• Bobby proposes a new feature: “Date Night with Brooke,” inviting cameras into their personal adventures—be it cooking, travel, or dance classes.

  • Brooke is enthusiastic:
    • “People don’t actually see what happens in your personal life. I think we have a lot of fun together, and I'd love to show people what we do.” – Brooke [27:34]

• Brooke plugs her Instagram and restaurant, along with upcoming seasons of “Barbecue Brawl” and “Triple Threat.”

Memorable Quotes

• “I have terrible stage fright...but if I am cooking and I’m doing what feels comfortable to me, I don’t even notice the cameras.” – Brooke Williamson [01:53]
• “I don’t think you can just sort of step onto TV and expect to be respected in that realm unless you’ve been through it.” – Brooke Williamson [05:46]
• “Restaurants really kind of is the place where I feel like it saved my life in many ways.” – Bobby Flay [06:07]
• “You have that energy at home, at events—you come alive even just talking about food.” – Brooke Williamson [09:04]
• “This is a dream come true salad.” – Brooke Williamson [12:30]
• “You and I have had this conversation, like, marriage is not a thing that interests us...we’re life partners, that’s the most important thing.” – Bobby Flay [18:27]
• “No joke—every single thing from the bread to the onions to the cheese to the jus to these little crispy bits. Everything is excellent.” – Jimmy V [23:06]

Notable Moments with Timestamps

• Brooke describes Top Chef’s isolating pressure [01:30]
• Bobby explains his “chef coat as shield” [06:07]
• Brooke talks about seasonal creativity at Playa Provisions [09:30]
• Bobby prepares Crab Louie, with playful “fell from the clouds” lettuce [11:13]
• Brooke recalls the first meeting and “instant connection” with Bobby [15:05]
• Bobby gives Brooke a diamond ring—commitment, not engagement [18:19]
• Jimmy V’s ecstatic review of Salt Hank’s viral French dip [22:29, 23:55]
• Brooke advocates for honest depiction of their off-camera fun, introducing date night segment [27:34]

Summary

This episode is a delicious, heartwarming mix of chef talk, relationship realness, and viral food culture. From behind-the-scenes menu development at Amalfi Las Vegas and spirited debates on food TV, to laughter-filled recollections of romance and honest food reviews, Bobby and Brooke serve up both inspiration and intimacy. The addition of everyman food critic Jimmy V brings a fresh voice, while the couple’s plans to share more of their off-screen life hint at a new chapter for the show.

If you love chefs who keep it real, food that’s craveable, and a glimpse into what makes culinary power couples tick, this episode is for you.