Bobby Flay and Girlfriend Christina Pérez Split After 3 Years of Dating: Sources

Bobby Flay and Christina Pérez have ended their relationship, PEOPLE has learned.

The pair dated for over three years. They were introduced through mutual friends in 2020 before going public with their relationship in November 2021 at the Breeders' Cup World Championship, where Flay's horse Pizza Bianca finished first.

A representative for Flay did not return PEOPLE's request for comment.

In a June 20 edition of her newsletter called A Friend Indeed, Pérez, 43, shared a "ritual of love" and hinted that she's entering a new and restorative chapter of her life.

"Last year, I spent the summer solstice in London, where the longest day of the year is truly and impressively long," she wrote. "That solstice was one of my favorite days in recent memory—slow and dreamlike, easy and sweet. I spent it with one of my favorite people, and as the sun began to set before 10 pm, we went to the park to watch the last of the light."

She then recalled plucking roses for good luck that she still has in a silk bag.

"The plants you gather are meant to symbolize love; to call it in or keep it strong. Each plant represents the power of the sun—how its strength lingers even after the light is gone," she wrote. "This year, I’ll be doing that same ritual, but I’ll be adding something, too: I’ll scatter last year’s petals to make space for the new."

Flay, 59, has been married three times. He split from actress Stephanie March in 2015 after 10 years of marriage. Flay and his second wife, Kate Connelly, share one daughter Sophie, 26. They split in 1998. He divorced his first wife, chef Debra Ponzek, in 1993.

He has been open about what a positive impact Pérez has made on him.

"She's so lovely. I'm really happy to have met her," gushed Flay in Dec. 2021. "My life is so crazy hectic, and she's always the light at the end of the day for me."

Flay's most recent Instagram post of Pérez was a birthday tribute to her in January.

"Happy birthday to the absolute loveliest and most genuine person in my life. Love you CP. @christinalperez," Flay wrote in the caption accompanying the snapshots, which led off with a sunkissed selfie of the two.

Pérez — a writer who has been published in Vogue, Condé Nast Traveler, GQ, Glamour and more — commented back: "🫶🏼 🫶🏼 🫶🏼🥹🥹🥹love you @bobbyflay ❤️." Flay's daughter Sophie also commented with heart emojis.

Pérez bonded with Sophie, who is also a journalist. "Christina's so sweet," Sophie told PEOPLE in 2022. "It's really cool to be able to learn from her."

"They're friends, which is really great," Bobby added at the time. "And I always feel like Christina can be somebody that Sophie can talk to about anything. It's really nice."

In May 2023. Flay opened up to PEOPLE about how he stayed connected with Pérez.

"We try to balance it all out because we're both very busy," he said. "So when we have to put our heads down, we go to work and we are able to give each other the space that we need. But at the same time, we still stay connected for sure."

When they were back together in the same place, Flay said they would recharge by doing "the same thing I was just doing while I was working, which is cooking."

Flay would gush over Pérez's lifestyle newsletter. "I'm so proud of her," he said in 2023. "And everybody says she's just such a great writer and has such a soothing touch with her pen."

Flay added: "She's a special lady."