Bobby Flay and Masaharu Morimoto are among the best-known chefs in the world. They have built lucrative culinary careers from doing what they love most – cooking. Not only have their exceptional culinary skills landed them diverse roles on multiple cooking competition TV shows, garnering them fame in the process, but it has also jacked up their financial standings as the two are now multimillionaires.
Throughout their decades-long careers, Flay and Morimoto have steadily built their net worth with earnings generated from TV show and movie appearances, cookbook sales, as well as owning numerous restaurants. Despite being multimillionaires, both celebrity chefs are not on par when it comes to career achievements. Now let’s find out who amongst the two master chefs has encountered great success in the food industry.
Bobby Flay Owns More Than 20 Restaurants In The US
Perhaps, Nobody probably knows more about opening a restaurant than celebrity chef Bobby Flay. With over 20 restaurants across the globe, the multi-award-winning chef, Bobby Flay is widely recognized as one of the big names in the food industry. Who would ever think that the Food Network star is a high school drop out? Yes, Flay left high school at the age of 17 but went on to graduate from the French Culinary Institute (now known as the International Culinary Center) as a member of the first graduating class in 1984.
Afterwards, he began working as a sous chef and was made the executive chef of Third Avenue-based Brighton Grill when he was 20 years old. Realizing he wasn’t ready for the responsibility, Bobby Flay left the role for a chef gig at Bud and Jams owned by restaurateur, Jonathan Waxman. There, he had practical training in the southwestern and Cajun cuisine which has become his speciality to date, though, he is equally a barbecue aficionado.
From 1988 to 1990, the Food Network host bolstered his net worth with undisclosed fees he earned for his role as the executive chef of Miracle Grill situated in East Village. He was later hired by restaurateur Jerome Kretchmer at Mesa Grill where he also worked as the executive chef before becoming a partner. He then launched his first restaurant, Bolo Bar & Restaurant in 1993, in partnership with Laurence Kretchmer.
Later in 2004, he launched a second Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, followed by Bar Americain in Midtown Manhattan in the next year. Over the years, the famed restaurateur has expanded his restaurant business by opening Bobby’s Burger Palace (BBP) in over eighteen locations in the United States. They can be found in the District of Columbia and eleven states including New York, Maryland, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Ohio, and Connecticut.
Masaharu Morimoto Has Over 18 Restaurants Across The Globe
Morimoto has made a name for himself in the celebrity food world, and his status has helped him own over 18 restaurants around the world. Born in Hiroshima, Japan, Masaharu Morimoto never aspired to be a chef as he had a promising baseball playing career before a shoulder injury thwarted his dreams. He then changed his career path and started honing his culinary skills by studying sushi in his hometown, Hiroshima. As a sushi chef, Morimoto had several years of apprenticeship at a friend’s sushi restaurant and during that time, he founded a small coffee shop.
He earned additional income from running a newspaper delivery business, as well as an insurance agency along with his wife. He then moved to the United States in the year 1985 after selling his restaurant in Hiroshima. Although, he had been properly trained in the traditional kaiseki and sushi cuisine while in Japan, Masaharu Morimoto further whetted his skills and gained a wealth of experience at the prestigious Nobu restaurant where he worked as a chef before he was promoted to the executive chef.
At @MorimotoDoha, Sunday's are for sushi and steak! Every Sunday night from 6pm to 10pm enjoy a selection of nigiri, sashimi, and sushi rolls, plus prawn tempura soba, steak, and dessert all for one price! Bring someone special and make Sunday night the best night! pic.twitter.com/JIbmRpPjvM
— Chef Morimoto (@chef_morimoto) December 15, 2020
He then beefed up his income sources by establishing his first eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia in 2001, collaborating with Starr Restaurant. Three years later, he founded another restaurant, Wasabi at the Taj Mahal Hotel situated in Mumbai. A second Wasabi was founded in New Delhi in 2008 at the Taj Mahal Hotel. The Iron Chef has gone ahead to open several locations of Morimoto restaurant around the world. Some are situated in Napa Valley, Hawaii, Maui, Tokyo, New York, and Mexico City.
His renowned Pan-Asian restaurant, Morimoto Asia was launched at Disney Springs in Walt Disney World, Florida, in 2015 and Momosan Ramen & Sake based in New York City was opened the next year. Later in 2018, he established Momosan Waikiki, Morimoto Asia Waikiki, Morimoto Doha, and Morimoto Dubai. Beyond making money from his restaurants, the award-winning chef has also acquired a bit of wealth from the sales of signature products.
They include Morimoto Cabernet Sauvignon – a signature wine in partnership with Michael Mondavi, two lines of premium sake, a line of beer in collaboration with Rogue Ales, Morimoto instant ramen, and Miyabi Morimoto Edition knives.
While Both Chefs Had Earned One Michelin Star, Flay Seems To Have a More Decorated Career
The Michelin star is often regarded as the highest honor within the international food industry, as its acquisition or loss can have dramatic effects on the thriving capacity of a restaurant. Interestingly, both Flay and Morimoto have acquired one star over the course of their culinary careers (though they have lost them). Bobby Flay, however, has received numerous accolades including becoming the first chef to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015. He equally got inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame that same year.
Also, Flay has penned over 14 cookbooks from which he has stepped up his financial value as they are sold between $12.99 and $34.99 on several online book stores. Since making his debut on Food Network in 1994, the highly skilled chef has served as the host of sixteen cooking shows and specials on the TV network and also on Cooking Channel, earning massively for his roles. Before retiring from participating in the cooking competition show, Iron Chef America, he competed in 61 Iron Chef battles and recorded win; 43, loss; 16, and draw; 2.
Masaharu Morimoto, on the other hand, has written three cookbooks which are sold from $15.50-$40.00. He received two International Association of Culinary Professionals awards with his first book, “Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking”. He is also an inductee of the Culinary Hall of Fame. Having participated in Iron Chef and Iron Chef America, the popular restaurateur has a combined record of win; 41, loss; 21, and draw; 2. Additionally, he has earned substantial income through his appearances as a guest judge on The Next Iron Chef, Top Chef, and MasterChef.
Bobby Flay’s Net Worth of $65 Million Is Much Bigger Than Morimoto’s $18 Million
With Bobby Flay and Masaharu Morimoto raking in thousands of dollars from television appearances, restaurants, and cookbooks, it’s not surprising that the TV stars have amassed tremendous wealth down the years. As of 2021, Flay has an estimated net worth of $65 million according to the Celebrity Net Worth while Morimoto sits on an estimated net worth of $18 million. In 2008, Bobby Flay increased his net worth with an annual earning of $1.5 million and also pocketed $9 million in earnings in the year 2012.
Breakdown of Bobby Flay’s Earnings In The Past Years
- 2008 $1.5 million
- 2009 N/A
- 2010 N/A
- 2011 N/A
- 2012 $9 million
Although details of Masaharu Morimoto’s annual earnings are not yet available, he surely earns thousands of dollars, if not millions of dollars annually from his restaurant business as the meal pricing at one of his restaurants, Morimoto Asia ranges from $15-$59.99 per adult. Apparently, both celebrity chefs have worked hard to position themselves among the foremost chefs in today’s world.
