> At a Glance
> – Chef Esther Choi relived her 2023 win over Brooke Williamson on Bobby’s Triple Threat
> – Choi blames Williamson’s broken rice cooker for the victory
> – Williamson, one of the show’s titans, laughed off the jab
> – Why it matters: Fans get a rare, unfiltered look at kitchen rivalries
Chef Esther Choi dropped by Bobby on the Beat on January 5 and wasted no time roasting fellow chef Brooke Williamson over a fateful appliance failure that handed Choi a win on Bobby’s Triple Threat.
The Victory Lap
Choi told host Bobby Flay she remembers “every detail” of the 2023 episode. When Flay asked how she fared against Williamson, one of the competition’s three titans, Choi grinned:
> “I mean, thank God, that’s how I won.”
She immediately apologized-sort of.
> “Sorry, Brooke, I love you so much. If your rice cooker worked, I would have lost that day. I got lucky.”
Off-Camera Audience
Flay revealed Williamson was watching from the wings. The camera cut to her laughing at Choi’s trash talk.
> “Isn’t it nice that during the podcast, there’s also a titan in the room?” Flay quipped.
Choi doubled down:
> “I know, honestly… I’m not sorry also, because it’s like, because of that one piece of luck, I won that episode.”
Flay & Williamson’s Backstory
This wasn’t Williamson’s first podcast cameo. On episode two, the couple recalled meeting on Supermarket Stakeout. In 2020 Flay FaceTimed Williamson after reading her Los Angeles Times op-ed on COVID-19’s restaurant impact. They went public in March 2025 and, despite a diamond gift, insist they won’t marry again.
Key Takeaways
- Choi credits a broken rice cooker for her Triple Threat win
- Williamson took the roast in stride, laughing off-camera
- Flay and Williamson, together since 2025, rule out another wedding
- Kitchen rivalries stay spicy-even on podcasts
