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.Q&A with chef Jernard Wells<
Talking late-night snacks and other guilty pleasures with chef Jernard WellsQ: What’s your favorite late-night snack?A: Potato chips with bleu cheese crumbles on them.Q: What’s your guilty-pleasure food?A: A honey bunQ: What’s the strangest thing in your refrigerator right now?A: Old, moldy cheese. That was one of those traits I picked up from my great-grandmother in Mississippi. She believed in aging cheese, and that’s one of the things I’ve always done. The longer you let it sit, the longer it is in high-humidity areas, the better it tastes. My great-grandmother used to be like, “You just peel that mold off of it, baby, and it’s the best thing you can eat.”Q: What dish or ingredient will you never be caught eating?A: There’s probably no dish or ingredient that I’m afraid to try.Q: What is the one must-have dish at your last supper?A: It would have to be a 21-day, dry-aged ribeye. Oh, and it has to have bleu cheese crumbles on it. And I would love to have a nice port-wine reduction sauce glazed over the top of it.Source: Food Network
Jernard Wells works on a shrimp and grits offering inspired by his wife.His friends have described him as "a young Barry White of food."
Jernard Wells calls himself "The Chef of Love."
"That's, of course, because I've got nine kids, but that's just the beginning of it," says the 37-year-old chef and former Chattanoogan now living in Atlanta.
"I have 11 brothers and sisters. My father had 32 sisters and brothers between two wives. I have a huge extended family. As you can imagine, there is always a great time going on with friends and family, and it always revolves around food. Food and love go hand in hand. Those are some of the most memorable moments when I reflect back on my life.
"I call it my four Fs: faith, family, food and fun," he says. "What that consists of, in short, is comfort food, and I love to show people how to connect food and fun. Cooking is all about having fun and enjoying it with the people that are around you, because that's when we enjoy it the most."
Wells is one of 13 finalists competing on the 12th season of "Food Network Star," which airs at 9 p.m. Sundays on Food Network. As those who've watched the show know, every cook on "Food Network Star" is expected to share a theme that he or she would use for a Food Network show, the prize for the last chef standing. Chefs are also expected to be able to define their "culinary identity."
Defining their cooking style was the first challenge for cooks Sunday night. To see how quickly they could think on their feet, chefs were asked by judges Bobby Flay and Giada DeLaurentiis to film a "cold open" – a 30-second tape introducing themselves to viewers and engaging the viewer while explaining their cooking style.
When Wells introduced himself as "The Chef of Love," Flay actually snorted with laughter, but the celebrity chef was impressed by Wells' smooth delivery.
"It sounded really good. I wanted you to cook for me," Flay complimented.
Wells says his show treatment, should he win, will draw from the food explorations he and his children already practice at home as he shares his love for cooking with them.
"I would like to do a travelogue-style show where I would go to a restaurant, try its unique dish, come back home and try to create that same dish. I do that now with my kids. My boys definitely love it and the girls sit back and wait for us to cook for them," laughs Wells, who's also appeared on Alton Brown's "Cutthroat Kitchen."
"Every day we put different names of dishes in a bag and whatever we pull out, that's what we fix for dinner. On weekends, the kids get to fix the meals. I want them to fall in love with cooking, but I don't push it on them," says Wells.
His food heritage combines Southern cooking, which he learned from his family growing up in Mississippi and culinary school in Memphis; Cajun/Creole, which he picked up from his father; and French cuisine he learned while studying overseas. His signature dish is Skinny-Dippin' Shrimp Cocktail which, he suggests in his cookbook, doesn't need a sauna, just passion in the kitchen.
Wells says "Food Network Star" challenges are much harder than what viewers see on television.
"Bobby and Giada only have a short amount of time to see if you have star power," he says. "Everything is fast-paced, nonstop, to see if you have what it takes to keep going. Sometimes we have only a few minutes between challenges; sometimes we go right into (the next)."
Despite the nerve-wracking presence of cameras filming contestants' every move, Wells says he often forgot they were even there. He says part of this season's episodes have been taped, more will be shot before July's finale.
"After doing it for so long, the camera becomes like a part of the furniture in the house - it's just always been there. The best thing is to forget about everything around you and focus on the goal when you are filming. My goal is teaching people who I am and what I'm cooking.
"A lot of people see the show on TV and think it looks easy, but it's not. But anything you want that's worth fighting for usually isn't easy. My ultimate goal is to show the world who I am, and I think I accomplish that."
Want to cook like a Food Network star? Try these recipes Chef Wells shares from his cookbooks, "Break Through Weight of Expectations," "Break Through Weight of Expectations 2, Family Values" and "88 Ways to Her Heart: Cooking for Lovers from the Kitchen to the Bedroom."
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.
Recipes
Rembrandt's Coffee Rub Chop 3 tablespoons sweet paprika, preferably Spanish 1/4 cup any flavor Rembrandt's coffee 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder 3/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne Six to eight, 10- or 11-ounce, bone-in, pork rib chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick Vegetable oil spray At least 1 and up to 8 hours before you plan to grill the pork chops, prepare the dry rub, combining ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the chops with the spice mixture, place them in a large plastic bag, seal and refrigerate. Fire up the grill, bringing heat to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test). Remove chops from the refrigerator and let them sit, covered, at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Spray the chops with oil and transfer them to the grill. Grill for 18 to 20 minutes total. Turn onto each side twice, rotating the chops a half turn each time to get criss-cross grill marks. The chops are done when just a hint of pink remains at the center. Serve hot. Pure Soda Works Honey-Lime Wings 4 to 5 pounds chicken wings 4 tablespoons black pepper 1 pinch of salt 4 cups vegetable oil Sauce: stick butter 1 bottle Pure Soda Works Honey Lime Soda 1/4 cup honey 1 whole zest of lime 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 whole zest of lemon Chop off the tip of each wing and discard it. Chop the wing in half (cutting at the joint) to make two pieces. Rub on the ground black pepper and sprinkle on the salt. Heat the oil over high heat in a deep skillet or deep fryer until oil is around 400 degrees. Add in half of the wings, stirring and shaking occasionally, and cook until they are golden and crisp/floating. When done, remove them and place on a paper towel to drain the grease. Cook the remaining wings the same. Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan; add soda and the other ingredients and stir. Bring to slow simmer until lightly thickened and remove from the flame. Place chicken in a bowl with lid, pour sauce over the chicken and shake very lightly. Cover the chicken for a few moments and serve. Great with celery or carrot, and ranch or blue cheese. Chattanooga Whiskey Sweet Potato Casserole 5 sweet potatoes 1/4 cup butter 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 cup 1816 Whiskey 3 ounces milk Topping: 1/2 cup melted butter 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup 1816 Whiskey 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup pecans Bake or boil sweet potatoes until tender, peel and beat with electric mixer. Add butter, eggs, vanilla, whiskey, cinnamon and milk. Mix well and place in a greased casserole. Mix topping ingredients, sprinkle over potatoes and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Skinny Dippin' Shrimp Cocktail 1 pound cooked medium shrimp, chilled 1/2 cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 tomato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 9 green onions, thinly sliced 1 ounce fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1 Serrano pepper, thinly sliced 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1 lime In large bowl, combine shrimp, cucumber, tomato, green onion, cilantro and Serrano pepper. Stir in tomato sauce and vinegar. Squeeze lime juice over mixture and serve.