Chef Leia Gaccione knows Bobby Flay well. She trained under him, worked her way up at his restaurants, worked alongside him as a sous chef on Iron Chef America, competed twice on Beat Bobby Flay and even claimed a Chopped title.
On Tuesday, October 13, viewers will see the chef and owner of the Saint Clair in Montclair (one of NJM‘s favorite restaurants this year) go up against her mentor-slash-former boss once more—this time on the new Food Network competition show Bobby Flay’s The Line.
The show sees Flay and a hand-picked team of elite chefs face off against professional staffs from acclaimed restaurants across the country in a real-time dinner service competition. Flay doesn’t know ahead of time which culinary team he’ll be up against.
“I don’t want to give away too many spoilers, but I would say [Bobby] was genuinely surprised to see me,” Gaccione says.
Gaccione says each team had two hours to prep before serving a blind taste test of 240 plates to 40 diners over the course of 90 minutes.
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“I blacked out the entire time,” she recalls. “It’s just super intense, and very realistic to what it’s like to work a crazy service in a kitchen.”
Gaccione’s episode was centered on brunch—familiar territory for Flay, who hosted the Food Network series Brunch @ Bobby’s and wrote a subsequent cookbook of the same name. Gaccione brought her own brunch experience from South + Pine in Morristown, where she was previously the chef/owner, and her current spot, the Saint Clair. “It might not be my favorite service to work, but it’s my favorite to eat,” she says. “I could do pancakes and egg sandwiches all day long.”
The latest competition was “a little intimidating,” admits Gaccione. “But I learned from [Bobby], so I knew what he was bringing to the table, and I felt pretty confident in myself and my team.”
Gaccione’s team was comprised of colleagues Oroima Cuevas, Gianna Searls and Sadie Alberti. “To compete with an all-female [team] was huge for me,” Gaccione says. “There’s just something really amazing about supporting women…and being a mentor to women in this business.”
Gaccione knows that some women would rather be referred to simply as chefs than female chefs. But for her, the distinction is a point of pride. “I’m proud to wear the label,” she says, adding that throughout her career, she has felt supported by New Jersey’s culinary community, men included.
Leia Gaccione on NJM‘s February 2026 cover.Photo: Natalie Chitwood
Back at the Saint Clair, business is strong. Gaccione refers to the team she has built at the restaurant as her “proudest moment,” even in what she describes as a very difficult time for the industry. As the restaurant readies for its busiest season, she’s set to debut a new fall menu.
And as for the premiere of her episode of Bobby Flay’s The Line, fans will even have a chance to watch it with Gaccione herself. The Saint Clair will host a watch party on premiere night, featuring a menu of dishes she made on the show. The evening will also include a behind-the-scenes Q&A, music and cocktails. Friends and family will receive the first invitations, and remaining tickets will be released to the public on Friday, October 2, via the Saint Clair’s Instagram.
Fans can even watch the episode of Bobby Flay’s The Line with Gaccione herself. The Saint Clair will host a watch party on premiere night, and the menu will feature the dishes her team made on the show. The evening will also include a behind-the-scenes Q&A, music and cocktails. Friends and family get the first invitations, but remaining tickets will be released to the public on Friday, October 2, via the restaurant’s Instagram.
“I think it’s going to be a cool night,” Gaccione says.
Bobby Flay’s The Line featuring Gaccione airs Tuesday, October 13, on Food Network.
