Valley Independent Sentinel

‘Throwdown with Bobby Flay’ Films In Shelton

by Eugene Driscoll | Oct 28, 2009 12:26 pm

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Posted to: Shelton

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay crept into Jones Family Farm last month to film an episode of “Throwdown with Bobby Flay“ for the Food Network.

The episode is scheduled to air Nov. 11 at 9 p.m.

Each week on “Throwdown,” Flay, a 44-year-old New York City-born Irishman, takes on locally-known “master chefs,” betting that he can make their signature dish better than they can.

The “throwdown,” as it is called, is always a surprise to the master chef.

Two dishes are cooked — one by Flay, one by the local chef — and a panel of foodies judge which is better.

In the show filmed Sept. 29 at Jones Family Farm, Flay sneak-attacked noted pie wizard Michele Albano, owner of Michele’s Pies at 666 Main St. in Norwalk.

Keith Padin, the marketing guru at Jones Family Farm, said he couldn’t reveal precisely what dish the two went to war over.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss exactly what they were preparing,” Padin said.

(He also couldn’t make the filming known until just now.)

However, Albano has won a ton of national pie-making awards, according to her store’s Web site.

“In April of 2007, Michele competed in the National Pie Championships in Orlando, Florida, and won first place in the commercial nut category for her chocolate pecan bourbon pie,” her Web site reads.

Her menu offers 15 pies available to order for Thanksgiving alone.

Padin said folks representing the Food Network scouted the location in early September. They were simply looking for a farm in Connecticut, he said.

“I drove them around and showed them the beauty of Jones’, and they apparently liked what they saw,” Padin said.

The Food Network reps lured Albano into the appearance by telling her they wanted her to do a cooking demo for another show on the network.

When he finally arrived, Flay appeared to the surprise of everyone at the farm, including Padin and the Jones family.

“They had started filming and it was timed out perfectly. I’m sure he must have been driving around Shelton somewhere in a car,” Padin said.

No one noticed Flay until he was almost next to Albano.

“Everyone was watching the demo. It was a great reaction. I’m interested to see what it will look like on TV,” Padin said.

The taping took most of the day, Padin said.

Flay, who seemingly appears on every other show on the Food Network, including “The Iron Chef” and “Grill It! with Bobby Flay,” stuck around afterward to sign autographs with everyone and to pose for photographs (Padin is checking with the Food Network to see if he can release a photo of Flay with the Jones family).

“He was a great guy,” Padin said.

This isn’t the first time a celebrity foodie has appeared at the venerable Shelton farm.

Martha Stewart filmed a show at the farm a few years back, Padin said.

How does she compare to Flay?

“I wasn’t here when Martha Stewart was here, but from what I understand, and from what I experienced with the Food Network, they were both phenomenal to work with,” Padin said.

A message seeking comment was left with the Food Network.

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