‘Chew’ on this: Clinton Kelly bringing his hot takes to South Beach food fest
While droves of folks flocked to South Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic, Clinton Kelly did the opposite.
In March 2020, “The Chew” alum and husband, Damon Bayles, shipped out of their apartment in the Belle Isle area of Miami Beach where they had lived for seven years.
“In retrospect, we could have timed it better,” Kelly told the Miami Herald with a laugh. “But unfortunately, the sale was timed before we knew what the pandemic even was. It’s probably the world’s worst real estate transaction.”
Kelly, 56, who will be back in town for a South Beach Wine & Food Festival event on Feb. 21, has no regrets.
OK, maybe a couple.
Now splitting his time between NYC and Connecticut, the TV personality misses the weather, obvi, and the food. Favorite stops: Pubbelly Sushi for the Butter Krab Roll, Joe’s Stone Crab (the hash browns is his go-to) and Versailles (”ropa vieja and black beans, please”).
One aspect of South Florida life Kelly doesn’t miss? Our famously insane traffic.
“I remember that stretch of highway driving from Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale and you take your life in your hands,” Kelly said, referring to northbound I-95. ”I’ve driven on the Autobahn in Germany and it’s 10 times worse! You could be going 20 mph under the speed limit in the left lane and 110 mph in the right. It’s a free-for-all.”
Though Kelly hasn’t been back since the pandemic, he won’t be playing tourist in a town he likely won’t recognize anymore. Reason? He’s not only mellowed with age, he’s not crazy about change. In other words, don’t expect to see him at any high-end restaurants, especially ones with Michelin stars attached. He’ll stick to the tried-and-true eateries above, and stay away from late-night raves at the club.
“I’m getting to that point in life where it’s like, I know what I like. I don’t want to be surprised or disappointed by anything,” said the “Freakin’ Fabulous” author. “And I follow one hard and fast rule: If I see I’m the oldest person at the bar, that’s when I leave.”
Kelly, who was born in Panama and grew up in Long Island, New York, will no doubt manage to have some fun. The Emmy winner will join his costars from “The Chew” — celeb chefs Carla Hall and Michael Symon — who now do a podcast together called “Chewed Up.” Beside noshes (Kelly is making a citrus salad, Hall a mocktail and Symon something barbecued), fest attendees can expect the trio’s signature banter, NSFW jokes, zero filter.
“We’re excited to be in front of a live audience again,” said Kelly, who was on the popular chat show for seven years. “It’ll literally be 45 minutes of silliness.”
If you’ve watched an episode of “Chewed Up,” you’ll recognize their easy, unscripted back-and-forth as they work up recipes in an actual kitchen. No topic is off limits — from their love lives, bodily functions and, yes, road rage.
“The beauty of what we do is that we fly by the feet of our pants,” Kelly said. ”If you put me and Karla and Michael in a room together, we just do not shut up. We give each other constant belly laughs, throw jabs and never overplan.”
Their special, spot-on chemistry (not to mention off-screen friendship) was the impetus to bring “The Chew” back to life as a podcast.
“We don’t take ourselves seriously and no one has an ego,” Kelly explained. “We love what we do and work hard, but we also realize we’re not doing brain surgery. It’s a blast.”
Another thing Kelly loves beside his fresh new podcast career is critiquing fashion. Many elder millennials likely still remember him from back in the day on TLC’s makeover show “What Not to Wear” with stylist Stacy London.
Though “WNTW” has been off the air for more than a decade, Kelly and London briefly resurrected the reality show for a new generation on Prime Video’s “Wear Whatever The F You Want” last year.
The ever-natty Kelly is inevitably asked sartorial questions when approached by fans.
So, we had to ask the former 305 resident his opinions of the fashion scene in one of the hottest places on the planet, literally and figuratively.
“You know, at this point in my life, when I see these women dress the way they do in Miami, I’m like, ‘Good for you!’” he said. “I remember what it was like to be 24 years old and loving your body and your skin!”
Kelly reports that the No. 1 question fans still ask him is how to hide a flabby midsection. He always recommends wearing a jacket, except to South Floridians in the summertime.
“In every major city, it’s the same thing: How do you camouflage a tummy? But I can’t tell the ladies in Miami to wear a jacket. So I say, ‘Show it off! Flash a crop top! Or just be naked all the time!’”
If you go
What: “Chew on This: A Live Podcast Series presented by iHeartRadio”
When: Feb. 21 at the Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave.
On stage: Kelly, Hall and Symon will take the stage at 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. Other participants include stand-up comic Bert Kreischer; Grammy winning singer Chiquis; and radio personality Elvis Duran.
Tickets: $100: https://sobewff.org/podcast
This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
