Wellington Chef Clay Carnes Wins Big On Food Network Show ‘Cutthroat Kitchen’

Story by Deborah Welky • Photos by South Moon Photography

Wellingtonian Clay Carnes is a well-known local chef and social media devotee, and as of this past summer, the winner of Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen: Time Warp Tournament.

Season after season, those of us who struggle in the kitchen watch in awe as competing chefs on Cutthroat Kitchen prepare fabulous meals while handicapped by missing ingredients, ridiculously inadequate cooking surfaces or challenges like having potato mashers strapped to their hands. All the obstacles in their way have been “purchased” at auction by their rivals with limited budgets.

None of this fazed Carnes, however.

“You have to remember that there’s a whole crew behind these devious ideas,” he explained. “Two or three people think up these crazy props, but there’s a whole team of guys who build them to spec, and then they test them with a culinary team. So, there’s always a way out with everything. Even if the task looks impossible, there’s a way. It’s up to you to figure out the key to making it work.”

Carnes, who was contacted by the Food Network after they viewed one of his food-inspired Instagram videos, flew to Los Angeles for a “Time Warp” competition that spanned four decades — the 1950s through the 1980s — to culminate with a finale set in the 1990s. “1950s” contestants had to make an all-American breakfast — while stuffed in a phone booth. “1960s” chefs had to prep Chicken Kiev — on protest signs. The “1980s” were required to make a toaster pastry while playing a giant video game.

Carnes starred in the “1970s” show, which required creating crêpes suzette while dressed as a disco ball and making hamburger macaroni and cheese while riding a banana seat bicycle — with two other chefs on board.

“They were feisty, man,” said Carnes of the two female chefs who shared his ride. “We had to split our time while preparing our stuff. So, I’m competing against them, but we’re all on the same bike!”

Once he won the 1970s episode, Carnes headed to the finale, which pitted the four decade winners against each other. Savvy competitor that he is, Carnes spent time watching the previously aired episodes, looking for strengths and weaknesses in his rivals.

“I didn’t know how to size them up. They’d all won before, and they were all pretty good chefs,” Carnes said. “It was hard, but on that show, you need to be a quick thinker. I had watched their episodes, and it was the ladies I was nervous about. The guy was kind of a goofball. But I did my research.”

The “1990s” required Carnes to dress as a member of a boy band to make BBQ chicken pizza, share a ship’s bow while he and a rival created fried calamari, and navigate a physically challenging DoubleDare-type obstacle course of desserts.

A combination of wicked cooking skills, plus mindful auction budgeting that allowed him to strategically handicap the other competitors, was what won him the game.

“You need to be incredibly good at making something out of nothing,” said Carnes, who wasn’t necessarily talking about ingredients. “The kitchen is 100 percent like you see on TV. They have everything you could dream of needing, very cool; the pantry is stocked very much on point with what you see as a viewer. But I would tell anyone going on the show to worry less about how good a cook you are and to concentrate more on being a problem-solver. Forget about what you know already — it won’t matter if your knife is sharp. Worry less about what they’re judging you on and more on, ‘Can I get out of here alive?’”

Is Cutthroat Kitchen truly that challenging? And is host Alton Brown as intimidating as he tries to appear?

“He’s so smart,” Carnes said. “If you follow his history, he’s a bundle of knowledge. He’s really awesome. But there, in the studio, you get an evil vibe about him. The show is definitely what it seems. It’s the real deal.”

Riding a banana-seat bicycle and cooking his way through an obstacle course were the furthest things from Carnes’ mind when, at age 12, he took a job as a dishwasher. However, as he spent day after day watching food preparations, he knew that he had found his calling. He attended the French Culinary Institute and ALMA/La Scuola Internazionale Di Cucina Italiana. Upon graduation, he was hired as chef de cuisine at Palm Beach’s Cucina Dell’Arte, where he learned real European cooking techniques.

“At that point, I knew I wanted to explore it,” Carnes said. “There was a spark. I thought it was the coolest thing that you could take all these ingredients and express what you wanted to through cooking for people.”

A stint as “chef ejecutivo” at the boutique hotel Mansion Alcazar in Cuenca, Ecuador, followed. Upon Carnes’ return to the United States in 2011, he brought his unique talents to Wellington’s award-winning restaurant The Grille, as well as the White Horse Tavern.

His latest triumph was this summer’s opening of Cholo Soy Cocina in West Palm Beach. The restaurant’s Latin street-type food boasts locally grown produce, non-GMO corn tortillas and top-quality meats. Peppers, herbs and other vegetables are grown on the patio and rooftop garden as Carnes looks to create specific flavors found only in certain regions of the world.

His busy life as a restaurant chef was good preparation for this star turn on the Food Network.

“When I went out to L.A. for all those filmings, the minute I stepped off the plane, there was a guy waiting for me with a Town Car or whatever, water, magazines,” he recalled. “I checked into the hotel and just relaxed. But the next day, it’s all work — from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. It was like a normal day in the life of a chef!”

To learn more about Clay Carnes’ latest venture, visit www.cholosoycocina.com.

Home For The Holidays

Traditional Family Recipes Passed On Through Generations

By Deborah Welky

Part of what makes this holiday time of year so special is the memories — the sights, sounds, smells and tastes that suddenly pull us right back to our youth. This magic is perhaps never as strong as when we sit down to a meal that includes favorite dishes made by our parents and grandparents for special occasions — especially if they only appeared at holiday time.

Food has been bringing families together for centuries, especially during winter holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Chinese New Year. Traditional family recipes get handed down from generation to generation, even when silver tea sets and antique dolls fail to make the cut. And what creates more of a stir at the holiday table than the presentation of a time-honored favorite? Join us now as we recall some of our favorite cultural holiday food traditions.

Turkey & Ham

Rather than be torn between the two, many American families enjoy turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas, though the topic of what to serve for each holiday’s main course often rallies the relatives to lively debate. Cutthroat Kitchen host Alton Brown’s Thanksgiving recipe calls for a 15-pound natural young turkey to be soaked in a brine consisting of vegetable broth, brown sugar, allspice berries, candied ginger, kosher salt, peppercorns and iced water before roasting. On Christmas, a honey-baked ham with pineapple topping is hard to beat — and easy. If you follow Paula Deen’s Southern-style recipe, you buy a spiral-sliced half ham and reserve your energy for the glaze, a combination of brown sugar, yellow mustard and pineapple juice. Affix pineapple rings to the top of the ham using whole cloves, place a maraschino cherry inside each ring and follow the package directions for warming time. Pour on the glaze about 30 minutes before you remove the ham from the oven. Yum!

Paella

This Spanish seafood extravaganza, named after the two-handled pan it is cooked in, is often made only for special occasions, as it requires about two hours of prep time and a bevy of freshly purchased ingredients. Mussels (or manila clams), shrimp, chicken, prosciutto and Spanish chorizo (or andouille) sausage are married together with paella rice (sometimes labeled as bomba or Valencia), peas, garlic, tomatoes, onion, saffron threads and other spices for a sensational flavor that is only enhanced when served with lemon wedges, a crusty baguette, red wine and a light salad. This dish can also be made on the grill, where the smoky flavor from the fire can be absorbed and a crusty caramelized layer of rice (called socarrat) will form on the bottom of the pan. To elevate the taste even further, a few lobster tails can be added to the recipe. ¡Delicioso!

Latkes

Around the light of the Hanukkah menorah, both young and old enjoy the crisp, savory taste of potato pancakes, called latkes. Although any potato will do, starchy potatoes work best, particularly baking potatoes. To make this holiday treat, peel a dozen potatoes, coarsely grate by hand, soak and drain. Wring out the liquid, stir in one egg, a half cup of onion, a half teaspoon of salt and a half cup of olive oil. Now comes the challenging part — spoon four dollops (about two tablespoons each) of the mixture into a hot skillet, spreading each into a three-inch round. Turn down the heat to medium and fry about 5 minutes until brown. Flip and repeat. Put your phone down or you could burn them! Keep the latkes warm in the oven until serving with sour cream and/or apple sauce. This recipe makes about 16 latkes. Taiym m’od!

Lasagna

Although Christmas Eve is traditionally a “fish-only” affair in many Italian homes, you had best believe that lasagna is on many tables Christmas Day. A family staple during the holidays, mouth-watering lasagna is a layered combination of ground beef, pork sausage, tomato sauce, lasagna noodles, eggs, Italian spices and lots of tasty, stretchy cheeses that often include provolone, mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan and more. The baking pan is layered to the rim, put in the oven for 50 minutes covered and 20 more minutes uncovered, and then left to rest for 15 minutes before cutting, giving all the yummy ingredients a chance to coalesce before being served. Even better the day after, lasagna is a godsend to any cook who doesn’t want to spend Christmas Day in the kitchen. Squisito!

Chinese Fried Meatballs

The Chinese New Year takes place on the first day of the first lunar month. This 15-day holiday, which in 2017 begins on Jan. 28, is the most important on the Chinese calendar, and celebrations feature many traditional meals, including Zha Xiao Wan Zi (Chinese Fried Meatballs). The primary ingredient of this dish is pork, to be combined with egg, scallion, water chestnuts, ginger, sugar, egg white or cornstarch, dry sherry and salt, then cooked in a wok at 375 degrees until the outside of each meatball is golden (about 3 minutes per side). Commonly known as Lion’s Head Meatballs, they can be dunked into a dipping sauce made of green onion, coriander, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, salt and Thai chili peppers — or into a light soy sauce. Měiwèi de!

Hoppin’ John

Whatever your culture, the holiday season is an opportunity to revisit your roots by way of your taste buds. Enjoy all the food that this season has to offer, but remember — the responsibility of passing your family’s epicurean heritage on to the next generation rests with you. And what a delicious responsibility it is!  

Kwanzaa has been celebrated from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1 since 1966 by Americans of African heritage. It was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, chairman of black studies at California State University, as a way to bring African-Americans together following the Watts riots in Los Angeles. While the primary focus of Kwanzaa is its “Nguzo Saba” (seven core principles), the now-traditional Kwanzaa dish of Hoppin’ John can be enjoyed anytime. Emblematic of South Carolina, this simple fare consists of one cup of white rice and one cup of black-eyed peas, sometimes cooked together, sometimes separately, plus one medium onion and often with a ham hock thrown in for good measure. The dish probably arrived on American shores with African slaves centuries ago. Okumnandi!

Bricks Busting Boredom

WHS Student Creates Nonprofit To Help Kids In The Hospital

Story and Photos by Julie Unger

Little multicolored bricks might be a nightmare for wary parents, but for Wellington High School student Daniel Clein, they’re something extremely special. They hold the power to cheer up a sick child, spur creativity and make a long-term hospital stay less dreary.

Clein’s mission started in 2015, when he was visiting his cousin in the hospital and met a child named Anthony who loved Star Wars Lego collections.

“That’s what he wanted, and nobody supplied Legos to hospitals because they’re so expensive. When they contacted me, saying, ‘If you have anything you can do to help us out, it would be amazing,’ I realized how useful Legos are as a toy for kids, because they can play with them over and over and with different ways every time they’re played with. They really, truly foster that curiosity and imagination,” Clein said.

And so, Bricks Busting Boredom, which recently received its official nonprofit status, came to be.

Clein started a Bricks Busting Boredom club at Wellington High School, where a group of students wanted to help Clein with his goal of sharing Lego bricks, which are easily washable, with children in the hospital.

He delivered 230 pounds of “upcycled” Lego bricks and 50 boxes of new Lego packages to Palms West Hospital on Wednesday, Oct. 19 for young patients to enjoy.

Once Clein graduates next year, other students will remain working on the day-to-day operations of the organization with Clein overseeing things.

“They’re an absolutely amazing help in doing what we do,” he said. “I couldn’t appreciate them more for their initiative and for helping out.”

Wherever Clein winds up for college — his goal is to attend the University of Florida — he will be able to remain in constant communication with the club, which will continue organizing Lego drives.

The teacher sponsor for the group, Candace Vollrath, along with other teachers at the school, have been supportive, Clein said.

“Our goal for the future is to reach out to as many schools… and set up as many Lego donation drives as possible, so we can then take those collected Legos and donate to as many hospitals as we can,” he said.

There are currently collection boxes at Wellington High School, Wellington Landings Middle School and Binks Forest Elementary School.

Bricks Busting Boredom has donated to the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Palms West Hospital, and next plans to donate Lego bricks to Palm Beach Children’s Hospital.

To assist in his endeavor, Clein won a $12,000 grant through the Palm Beach Philanthropy Tank program.

“This is wonderful. I couldn’t be more proud of him,” mom Deborah Clein said.

Rather than saying they are “recycling” Lego bricks, Clein prefers to say that Bricks Busting Boredom is “upcycling” them — they’re giving something a new, more valuable life.

“What we do is take their Legos and upcycle them to these children, and let them know that they’re benefiting the lives of these children and helping the children pass the time between treatments, helping keep their spirits up, keeping them busy and keeping the creative juices flowing,” Clein explained.

Aside from schools, several businesses are now Bricks Busting Boredom drop off locations, such as the Farmer’s Daughter Produce Market on Southern Blvd. If the drop-off locations aren’t convenient, contact Clein to make other arrangements. “We’re looking to expand to more business partners and get more boxes out there,” he said.

When Clein dropped off his latest batch to Palms West Hospital in October, his grin stretched ear-to-ear.

“It feels absolutely amazing to see the kids have their days brightened by this and see their eyes light up when they see the new toy,” he said. “We do this solely for the fact that, if we can brighten the kids’ day just for the smallest bit, then it makes it all worth it.”

Clein is looking forward to “more smiling kid’s faces,” he said, as the program continues to grow. Eventually, he’d like to introduce the idea to every school in Palm Beach County.

“That’s why it’s so exciting to come and do Lego drop-offs, because that’s the best part, it’s the most fun, seeing those kids get so excited and seeing that we had an effect on them, even in the smallest way,” he said.

Palms West Hospital CEO Eric Goldman is especially appreciative of Clein’s efforts. “To have a member of the community, and specifically another child in the community, be so willing to give of themselves, not just at the hospital but in their time away from the hospital, really says a lot about his compassion, his caring, and it makes me feel really good to be a part of something so special,” Goldman said.

He added that it’s important to hospital staff to give young patients some room to express themselves and grow through play. “We have to allow them to continue to be a child while they’re here at the hospital,” Goldman said. “We have to not just care for the illness, we need to care for all the child’s needs.”

Clein’s hopes to brighten as many children’s days as possible. “To any schools that would like to help, we’d absolutely love to get in contact with you,” he said.

For more information, e-mail Clein at daclein@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/BricksBustingBoredom.