Chef Jernard Wells learned to cook from his father, a Mississippi chef, at age 7. After his father's death when Wells was 16, he opened a restaurant to support this family, cooking out of his mother's kitchen. He moved to Chattanooga eight years ago where he opened a bistro in Ringgold, a Southern cuisine restaurant inside Chatt Inn, founded Chattanooga Wing Co. and taught a cooking school. He now lives in Atlanta where he manages a tavern and does contract services for several other restaurants.At the halfway point of this season of "Food Network Star," Jernard Wells has managed a winning record. The former Chattanooga restaurateur maintained his streak with a win in the tiki challenge during Sunday night's episode.
For their first challenge, the remaining six contestants had to use their creativity to make a dish with only flour, sugar or frozen foods as their ingredients. Even the butter and eggs were frozen. Never this season have contestants been as vocal to the judges about their dislike for a challenge as they were when presenting their food at the conclusion of the cooking time.
Wells made berry trifle biscuits that he told the judges his wife made him while they were dating. The judges broke into laughter as he told them why he loved the biscuits.
"They were so good I told her I wanted her to have my baby. Now I have nine children," he said.
But even his humor couldn't help the taste, and judge Giada DeLaurentiis told him although his presentations were always good, she wasn't in love with the texture. Fortunately it wasn't an elimination challenge.
Food Network celebrity Anne Burrell joined judges Bobby Flay and DeLaurentiis for the tiki party elimination challenge. Contestants were paired and each team of two had to prepare a three-course island menu to feed a guest audience. Then each team had to give a six-minute presentation on their dishes.
Wells was paired with Erin Campbell, a Minnesota baker who previously won one of the baking championships on Food Network hosted by Bobby Deen. The two cooked pineapple mango pork skewers, pineapple teriyaki burger and planter's punch cake with punch glaze.
Wells works in a quiet and focused style, Campbell wanted to discuss every step of their cook prep. She further aggravated Wells when his glaze was too thin and she added several cups of powdered sugar to it without his input.
Campbell tried to take the lead on their presentation, but when she froze with stage fright Wells stepped in with comic relief. He covered until she got back in the conversation and from that point they batted conversation back and forth, ending so positively that Burrell complimented their "good chemistry."
"Jernard makes a pretty darn good pork burger. I feel the love," Burrell said when tasting their food. Flay agreed and told Wells the burger was perfectly cooked.
Good food and good TV chemistry resulted in a win for Wells and Campbell, moving them into the top five finalists.