Q&A with Bobby Flay at the State Fair

RALEIGH -- Before celebrity chef Bobby Flay took the stage at Dorton Arena on Monday night, he sat down to answer a few questions about his first fair experience, his cooking and what spice he couldn't live without.

For those who don't tune into the Food Network, Flay, 43, who is known for his Southwestern cuisine, is the owner of six restaurants, including his flagship Mesa Grill in New York City. He is also the author of too many cookbooks to name and the star of several cooking shows. One of his most recent shows, "Throwdown! with Bobby Flay," pits the chef against masters of various cooking genres from barbecue to doughnuts.

1. The first question for this New York native: Mets or Yankees?

"Yankees."

2. What is your personal preference when grilling at home: gas or charcoal?

"Charcoal."

3. Is there any loss on "Throwdown! with Bobby Flay" that sticks in your craw? "Never. I like losing."

4. Why? "I wish there was not even a result on Throwdown. That's not what it's about. It's really about showcasing these people who are so good at what they do. So I have a lot of losses. Iron Chef's a different story. I want to win those."

5. So how did you like your first state fair experience? "I think it's great. It's so Americana. It's amazing. It's a snapshot of America, which is terrific."

6. Did you have a favorite food? "I'll tell you what I had like within 40 minutes. I had a turkey leg. I had a sausage and pepper and onion sandwich with cheese sauce on it. Then I had the most delicious chocolate mint ice cream (from the N.C. State University ice cream stand.) Great density. Great flavor. It was terrific."

7. Earlier today, you told a group of culinary students that you spend 90 percent of your time in your restaurants' kitchens. How is that possible, because it seems like you are always on the Food Network? "The great thing about cable, you shoot a little bit and they show it a lot. I shoot television but I shoot it in chunks, in bunches. It's the only way I'll do it. I'll do a whole season of 'Grill It!' over six days. That's only half the day. The other half, I'm in the restaurant at night. The only time I'm not in the restaurants is when I have to travel for Throwdown. I have restaurants in other places as well. I multitask always. I'm surprised we're not doing a Throwdown here. This is a very rare case where I would come here to do something that is not restaurant-related and not get a show in. I multitask a lot. I shoot a lot in New York and the tri-state area.

8. How do you keep your sanity? "Who said I'm sane? I keep my sanity by working."

9. I'm sure success has its benefits and celebrity has its pitfalls. But is there anything you miss from when you were a little bit more anonymous? "I miss being a line cook."

10. Why? "I cooked on a line as a cook for like seven or eight years. I loved the camaraderie of it. I loved the energy of it. I loved being in the heat of being busy. I felt like I was part of a team. I was always an athlete growing up and into my early adulthood. I love being able to high-five someone next to me because we accomplished something. ... Now I'm the head coach. It's a little bit lonelier being the head coach."

11. Describe your perfect day off. "With my daughter and my wife. Cooking at home or somewhere else far away. I love going to places where I don't live, like Europe. Going to the local markets and then bringing the food back to wherever I'm staying and cooking. I love that. I make a whole day out of that because I go at my own pace. It's really relaxing for me."

12. If you were on a desert island, which spice could you not be without? "Black pepper."