Jernard Wells, also known as The Love Chef, used to do his cooking magic at a restaurant in Ringgold, Ga.Chef Jernard Wells avoided reality TV's "first-to-go-home" stigma when he advanced Sunday night in the opening round of "Food Network Star" Season 12.
Wells, a former Chattanooga restaurateur, is one of 13 contestants vying to win their own cooking show on Food Network.
Each week the cooks are given two challenges. The first on Sunday night was to film a "cold open," in which Judge Bobby Flay gave each competitor 30 seconds to introduce themselves, describe their culinary identity and engage the viewer.
Wells showed no sign of nerves and earned high praise -- "I wanted you to cook for me" -- from Judge Flay.
For their second challenge, the chefs had to re-tape and improve their cold opens, which were played for 100 visitors to a Los Angeles theater. The chefs also had to cook for the moviegoers. Wells prepared the shrimp and grits dish that he told viewers he made when he first met the woman who became his wife. It won her, and won over the judges. Although Wells wasn't in the three top-performing chefs in this episode, he was safe and advanced to compete next Sunday.