Fur Real: Nacho and Bobby Flay
In Fur Real #TeamNacho goes behind-the-scenes with our Cat Pack community members to learn about their everyday lives and get a deeper understanding of their special cat/human bond. We’re kicking off the series with our founder, Nacho Flay, and his cat-dad, Chef Bobby Flay.
We caught up with Nacho and Bobby just before Made by Nacho launched. They were understandably pretty busy – but they still made time to give us the download on their day-to-day activities.
Editor’s note: Nacho taught everyone at Made by Nacho to speak cat, but no one understands him better than his dad, so while Bobby did a lot of the talking, Nacho made sure to get his point across.
Like clockwork
BF: Every morning without fail, Nacho wakes me up at 5:15 a.m. on the dot. He walks along my entire body – from my feet to my chest – and sits. All 20 pounds of him. Then he gently swats me awake with his oversized Maine Coon paw. It’s breakfast time.
NF: Sometimes I let you sleep in at least 10 minutes. Other times, I have to remind you with another paw to the face.
Breakfast for cats. Coffee for dad.
BF: I make a strong cup of Cafe Bustelo for me and get breakfast for Nacho and Stella (Nacho’s kid sister) ready.
NF: We each get a bowl of wet food and a bowl of dry food. We’re eating Made by Nacho Cage-Free Chicken these days. I have to make sure Stella doesn’t steal any because she loves to get into my business.
BF: We created Made by Nacho for cats and cats only. It took years to develop a menu that’s not only full of flavor but uniquely crafted to meet cats’ nutritional needs. Nacho (and Stella) test every single Made by Nacho recipe and are vocal about getting everything just right. It’s so rewarding to see them enjoy the fruits of Nacho’s labor. They’re very communicative about it.
NF: Meow.
A cat’s eye view
BF: After breakfast (and sometimes even during) Nacho climbs on my shoulder and perches. A la the #NachoFlayChallenge. It’s a cat thing – in the wild, cats like to be as high as possible so they can spot prey ... and predators.
He sits there for a good half hour while I read my paper and maybe make more breakfast. I’m old school and like to read actual newspapers, which, with Nacho on my shoulder, can get really interesting.
It’s showtime folks
NF: Today my team is filming a special Made by Nacho video at our house. To make sure I look my fluffiest (and most handsome), my dad has to brush me out. I pretend that I don’t like being groomed, but he can tell I secretly love it because I make sure he doesn’t miss the fur on my belly.
Snack. Play. Repeat.
BF: I have Zoom meetings, and Nacho likes to make a cameo appearance by walking directly in front of the camera.
NF: Hey, I like to be where the action is.
BF: Nacho and Stella play constantly. Before I adopted Stella, Nacho would get a little lonely when I left. Now, he has a built-in best friend for cuddling, napping, grooming, and getting into mischief.
NF: I like to remind my dad where the snacks are by sitting in front of the cabinet and meowing. Sometimes, I have to do it more than once to make sure he really understands.
BF: Smiles.
Testing, testing, 123
NF: One of my favorite parts of having a chef for a dad is that he gets –and shares– the best food. He taught me that nothing is more important than what you put into your bowl and that selecting premium, flavorful ingredients that help support your health will make the dish sing. Even though I paw-select each ingredient and test every flavor combination myself, I couldn’t have gotten this far without my dad’s help.
BF: Today, we’re taste-testing for texture. Just like with humans, texture can make or break a cat’s meal. We’ve got different types and textures of protein like cuts in gravy, freeze-dried and crunchy kibble.
NF: I’m the primary taste tester (Stella weighs in), but our Cat Pack across the country helps us out too. My life-long vet Dr. Katja Lang is our veterinary consultant, which means she makes sure Made by Nacho meets the nutritional needs specific to us cats.
Naptime at last
NF: After all that hard work, it’s time to nap. I like to mix up my napping spots, but my go-to’s are the bowl on the dining room table, the paella pan in the pantry, and the high shelf above the refrigerator.
BF: In order to get to that shelf, Nacho sits in front of the fridge, meowing until I open it. He scales the fridge door and leaps onto the high shelf. It’s pretty impressive.
Fast Feline Facts
Nickname: Nach, Nachito, My kitty
Favorite place to nap: My dad’s biggest paella pan or above the refrigerator
Favorite toy: My beloved chili pepper
It’s a cat thing, thing: I like to sit in the tub in a tiny pool of water and drink from the faucet
Favorite Made by Nacho treat: It changes week to week. This week, the Freeze-Dried Ahi Tuna Treats
Best advice for cat parents: Always have treats in the cabinet
