Bobby Flay reportedly wanted a $100 million deal to stay at Food Network

People

People reports that that Flay, the 27-year Food Network veteran whose current three-year contract expires at the end of the year, wanted a new deal that would put him above Guy Fieri's $80 million contract reportedly signed earlier this year. That deal made Fieri the highest-paid chef on cable TV. "Bobby wanted a contract in the ballpark of $100 million," a source close to Flay tells People. Another source, who's close to the Food Network. points out that comparing the two stars' contracts is "not apples to apples." "Guy has a three-year deal," says the source. "The terms of what Bobby was looking for were gravely different than just cash. The terms were longer, the scope of work was different and thus the dollars were different. It's not just $80 million to $100 million." The Flay source says that ultimately Food Network wouldn't budget in negotiations. "The two sides were just way too far apart. It became clear the two could not and would not be able to come to terms and so the network decided to move forward without him," says the Flay source. "Regardless, it was really much more amicable than you'd think. It was strictly business."