Affair Rumors That Swirled Around Bobby Flay In The Early 2000s

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay's love life is notoriously tragic, but if certain rumors are to be believed, the Food Network star is at least partially responsible for some of his romantic misfortune. In 2015, as it came to light that he and his third wife, Stephanie March, were heading for a divorce, gossip swirled that Flay's infidelity was the reason his decade-long marriage ultimately imploded. A friend of March's named Maia Madison disclosed to Page Six that the celebrity chef had cheated on his wife with his then-28-year-old assistant, Elyse Tirrell. Madison proceeded to call Tirrell "the Monica Lewinsky of the food world." 

When approached for comment, Flay's spokesperson didn't deny the affair, but they didn't confirm it either. Things had reportedly been rocky for a while before the couple decided to call it quits. Rumor has it that in early 2015, March realized just how low on her husband's list of priorities she was when her appendix burst and she didn't get so much as a hospital visit from him. Pair that with Flay missing their 10th wedding anniversary to spend the day at a food and wine festival with his assistants in tow, which included Tirrell, and it's easy to understand why things went south. 

Naturally, the sordid affair had people talking, and in June 2015, the "Food Network" star had the misfortune of being publicly embarrassed as he attended a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, where Flay made history as the first chef to receive his own star. As the popular TV personality celebrated the achievement, a plane did a flyby carrying a banner that read "cheater" in all caps. Flay didn't seem to notice it in the moment, but it made plenty of headlines in the aftermath. There was speculation that the stunt was March's doing, but she vehemently denied it.

Bobby Flay has a stunning net worth, but money can't buy you true love. Flay's dating history has made for plenty of tabloid fodder over the years, and while the celebrity chef never publicly dated the woman he was accused of having an affair with, Flay has been playing the field since his divorce. As of this writing, Flay is in a serious relationship with fellow chef and restaurateur Brooke Williamson. The Food Network star has made it clear, however, that they don't intend on tying the knot. "I don't think getting married is what I need to do," he reasoned during an interview on the "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show" in 2026. Williamson, who was also present, heartily agreed.

Meanwhile, Flay's ex-wife, Stephanie March, got married again in 2017, to tech investor Dan Benton. It was reportedly a small, intimate ceremony. The two met in October 2015, not too long after March and Flay got divorced. "Dan adores her and supports her," a friend enthused to People shortly after their nuptials took place. Another pal added that March was absolutely glowing on her wedding day to Benton. "I've never seen Stephanie as happy or as beautiful as she was today," she gushed. "She and Dan were surrounded by a close knit group of people who love, support and adore them. [...] It was an absolutely picture-perfect ceremony." Evidently, it all worked out for the best.