Flay looks back through mellowed lens

By Richard Leong

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Chef Bobby Flay, a native New Yorker who burst on to the culinary scene in 1991 with the launch of his restaurant Mesa Grill at the tender age of 25, says he has mellowed with age.

The author and TV chef, now 42, is known for his Southwestern dishes with their spicy, robust flavors. They often feature blends of chilies that achieve varying degrees of heat, smokiness and fruitiness on the same plate.

He has opened five more restaurants including two other Mesa Grills -- one in Las Vegas and one in the Bahamas -- and his seventh book, "Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook", has just been released.

"This is a memoir of Mesa Grill," Flay said. "The restaurant just needed some time to grow before putting its recipes into a book."

Flay spoke to Reuters about his goals in and out of the kitchen -- including his political ambitions.

Q: How has Mesa Grill grown up?

A: "The food has gotten subtler and simpler. When the restaurant first opened there were a lot more components on the plate. Now the food has become much clearer. There's more clarity to it and more balance to it -- such as chili pepper enhancing rather than being the focus of a dish."

Q: How has Bobby Flay grown up?