Southern Cooking Class and Low-Country Boil with Clay on Wilmington Island

Meet Clay

Clay is passionate about sharing the history and traditions of Southern cooking and offers a family-style, communal dining and cooking experience at his home. Clay started experimenting with cooking as a young boy and fell in love with food and cooking. During high school and college, Clay cooked in restaurants on the side. He owned his own restaurant for a while and post covid, has become a personal chef who also does catering for special events. Enjoy an authentic Southern culinary experience with Clay and his family at their charming home that he shares with his family and two dogs.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

Cooking experience (1 - 10 guests) Meet Clay at his home and begin your culinary experience with a tour of his historic house (built in 1939) and grounds that offer beautiful views of Tybee, Little Tybee and Wassaw, a wildlife refuge with 8 miles of open marsh. Then join Clay in his open plan galley kitchen to learn to cook a Low-Country boil - a flavorful one-pot feast of seafood, sausage, potatoes, and corn (or for those who don't want seafood, a Brunswick stew - a rich, slow cooked smoked pork stewed in a tomato broth). Learn about the history of this culinary tradition that got its roots from Gullah culture. You will also learn to make a Southern vegetable side dish. Your communal cooking experience lasts about 1.5 hours. After cooking, share the meal you helped prepare at the dining table or the outdoor patio with Clay and his family. Your meal concludes with a seasonal dessert and includes a couple of glasses of wine or beer. Clay can accommodate dietary restrictions - whether vegetarian, seafood, gluten-free, etc. so if you have a dietary request please include it when making your booking.

PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW

A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.

I have had plenty of Lowcountry Boils, but nothing compared to the one at my host Clay's home! Walking into his beautiful Wilmington Island home, surrounded by marshland, I was met with Clay’s infectious energy and welcoming spirit. His passion for cooking was evident as we had a Low-country Boil filled with the juiciest potatoes and the biggest shrimp I have ever seen, all accompanied by freshly made butter and zesty cocktail sauce. However, the collard greens stole the show, as they were perfectly salty and spicy - the best I’ve had in the South. What made this dining experience truly unforgettable was not only the delectable food, but also the camaraderie we shared with Clay and his friend as we dug into the feast. Clay’s culinary skills and warm, inviting nature make this a dining experience everyone should experience.

Ashton, Traveling Spoon Ambassador