Bobby Flay Says He’s ‘Here to Stay’ at Food Network: ‘That Place Has Been My Family’ (Exclusive)

The chef spoke with exclusively with PEOPLE at the annual "Food & Wine' Classic in Aspen

Bobby Flay isn’t going anywhere.

While speaking with PEOPLE at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen on Friday, the Food Network star shared that he is “here to stay” with the network that helped build his stardom.

Flay's culinary career was on the rise even before making his debut on the network in 1995. In 1982, he was selected to be part of Food & Wine's (a brand of PEOPLE's parent company Dotdash Meredith) annual class of “Best New Chefs", but the awards weren't presented in-person that year. Three decades later, the festival — which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year — surprised him by officially presenting Flay with the belated accolade in front of his fellow chefs and friends.

“That was an incredible surprise,” he tells PEOPLE of the award, which he received on stage at the festival's welcome event. “For them to even think about that all these decades later was really incredibly thoughtful.”

Related: Bobby Flay Gives a First Look at His New French Restaurant Brasserie B (Exclusive)

Flay also spoke with PEOPLE about how he's dedicated to the Food Network. With star chefs like Giada De Laurentiis announcing her departure from the network and Rachael Ray ending her long-running syndicated talk show and launching a set of new food series on A&E, the Beat Bobby Flay star says he has no plans to seek another TV home base.

“That place has been my family for a long time,” he says. “I love having my Food Network family because it's my shorthand of life. They've let me basically bring to life my culinary dreams on TV.”

“I’ve been on television for close to 30 years,” says Flay, who recently opened his French restaurant Brasserie B in Las Vegas, “I love what I do for a living. I love that I can inspire people to cook better at home and open their eyes up to what's available for them to cook and eat in their household.”

Related: Bobby Flay Shows Off His Vacation Home in Upstate New York, Complete with a 'Bourbon Lounge' — See Inside!

In 2021, there were rumors that he would part ways with the network after his three-year contract expired. Flay admits that in that moment, "There were a couple of moments of shakiness, but that's business. It's just business."

He ended up striking a multi-year deal after the extended negotiations. And with that behind him, he says he's committed to his role at the network.

"I'm here to stay. I mean for now, yeah, for sure," he says.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.