THROW DOWN with Bobby Flay: Meet Kent Rollins

Food Network Bobby Flay Throws down with Chuck Wagon Cook Kent Rollins as the roll up the sleeves in this throw-down becomes no ordinary hoe-down. Culinary Chef....vs.....Camp Cook....
Bobby Flay has a long history as a proven Chef and Celebrity hosting several TV shows including several with the Food Network. Today, Bobby has written several cook books and is the owner of 10 restaurants from New York City, Las Vegas and spanning to Nassau Bahamas.
Born as Robert William Flay in 1964, the forth generation Irish American got his start when he dropped out of school at a mere 17 years old.  Bobby's father then partner with Joe Allen put the young man to work in the New York City kitchen. Joe Allen was so impressed with Bobby that he further sent him to the French Culinary Institute paying his tuition.

After culinary school, he started working as a sous-chef, quickly learning the culinary arts. Flay was handed the executive chef's position after a week when the executive chef was fired. Flay quit when he realized he was not ready to run a kitchen. He took a position as a chef working for restaurateur Jonathan Waxman at Bud and Jams.  Waxman introduced Bobby to southwestern and Cajun cuisine, which came to define his culinary career. Flay has also added an extensive knowledge of Cajun and Creole styles to his recipe base.

Bobby Flay has proven his versatility of culinary skill becoming an Executive Chef. In 2000, Iron Chef show traveled to New York for a special battle where he  challenged Iron Chef  Masaharu Morimoto in the feat of Rock Crab. After the hour battle ended, Flay stood on top of his cutting board and raised his arms in premature victory. Not realizing that cutting boards and knives are sacred in Japan, he offended Morimoto who criticized his professionalism, saying that Flay was "not a chef". Flay went on to lose the battle. Flay challenged Morimoto to a rematch in Morimoto's native Japan.  In this battle, at the end of the hour, Flay threw his cutting board on the floor and stood on the counter yet again to raise the roof with the audience. However, this time, Bobby Flay won.

Though they share a heated past, Flay and Morimoto, who are now both Iron Chefs on Iron Chef America, are now friends.  They even teamed up – and won  – against fellow Iron Chefs Mario Batali and Hiroyuki Sakai in the Iron Chef America: Battle of the Masters "Tag Team" battle.

Kent Rollins born in southwest Oklahoma near the banks of the Red River grew up around cattle living the life as a Cowboy. His father,  Ernest "Wash" Rollins established the wash brand in 1950.  Wash was a cowboy and cattleman all his life where Kent learned many of his skills. Kent's Dad never attended formal education as a Veterinarian but was known as the "Cow-Doctor."

In 1993 Kent founded his own brand "RRR" purchasing the Red River Ranch of Byers, Texas. He also operates the Red River Ranch Chuckwagon Catering where he has master his dutch oven cooking skills. Appointed  the Official Chuckwagon Cook of Oklahoma, by its Governor. He has also won the Lubbock, Texas, Chuckwagon Cook Off and the Will Rogers Award for Chuck Wagon of the Year in 1996, and was chosen as the 1997 Chuckwagon of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists. Additionally, Kent has been nominated three times for Best Story Teller by the Academy of Western Artists winning the award in 2002. Kent loves preserving the rich heritage of the Old West through his Chuck Wagon Catering, Cowboy Poetry and Stories told around the camp fires.

"I've cooked for brandings, weddings, corporate gatherings, Bar Mitzvah  and even a bunch of Spandex Warriors…you know bicycle riders" state Kent who operates from the restored 1876 Studebaker Wagon.

Twice during the year, Kent takes time to conduct a Chuck Wagon Cooking school training students how to care and use cast iron cookware. The different use for skillets, dutch ovens where they learn simple tricks for making bread for 5 to 500. It's a primitive event for city folks who never have sat around a camp fire in the wilderness or sleep in a bed roll. Kent has had students come from various occupations and have traveled as far as London, England to attend this rustic adventure not listed with Culinary Institutes.   

Slinging hash to talking bull, Kent knows how to roll his sleeves when it comes to cooking hearty meals. Traveling much of the year across the nation demonstrating his skills, Kent's menu includes entrees grilling New York Strip, Rib-eye Steak, Smoked Brisket and the thrown-down dish of Chicken Fried Steak.   His secret ... "the double baptize"  in the chicken batter and then you know "it's gonna be good!"

Kent who could not comment on the filming did take liberty to speak highly of Bobby Flay. "He's a soft spoken, likable guy," stated Kent.  The episode will air October 27  Wednesday, 9PM/8C  for this Hoe-down - Throwdown. Will   Bobby Flay once more jump on top the butcher block with knives held into the air with victory or will it be the humble Cowboy standing over the smoke of burnt fire wood added another notch to his cast iron dutch oven?  Either way, once the thrown-down is done, the food is still gonna' be good.