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.