At the age of 34, chef Clay Conley has already logged in a remarkable two decades of experience in all aspects of the restaurant industry, which he brings to his role as chef at Azul at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, one of Miami’s most acclaimed high-end dining destinations. A native of rural Maine who got his first taste of the business at age 12, volunteering to work in the kitchen of a local restaurant, Conley passionately pursued his calling, eventually becoming a protégé of renowned chef Todd English at Olives restaurant in Boston. Working with the celebrity chef for almost a decade at various temples of haute cuisine, including Olives at Bellagio in Las Vegas, he was tapped by Mandarin Oriental, Miami in 2005, to helm the kitchen at the award-winning Azul. Here, Conley works with the finest ingredients flown in fresh daily from all over the world, in a style that balances the robust flavors of his New England childhood with the sophistication of Asian cuisine and the rustic allure of the Mediterranean.

In 1993, while attending Florida State University’s hospitality school, Conley served as a part-time corporate trainer at a local restaurant chain, learning the ins and outs of running a high-volume kitchen and overseeing a large staff. Embracing his passion for cuisine, he opted to seriously pursue a position in the culinary world and, in 1996, joined chef English at his flagship Olives restaurant in Boston. After a brief stint as a sauté cook at Canoe, with acclaimed chef Gary Mennie, he returned to English in 1998 and was named sous chef at Olives at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Working his way up to executive chef in 2000, he became a vital member of English’s celebrated culinary team, opening restaurants in Washington D.C., Las Vegas and Tokyo. Based on his considerable talent in all aspects of restaurant operations, in 2003, Conley was named culinary director for English’s 17 restaurant empire, a position he held at the age
of 29.

In 2005, during an international chef search, Conley was tapped by Mandarin Oriental to take the helm of its stunning waterfront restaurant, Azul, which had already earned considerable acclaim, including a designation as “Best New Restaurant in America,” by Esquire magazine when it opened in 2001. Since then, Conley has won raves for his creative take on contemporary cuisine and continues to keep Azul at the forefront of America’s dining scenario.

He has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show and Fox and Friends, and been featured in a slew of high-profile national publications, including Gourmet.

Conley’s signature dishes, such as study in tuna, consisting of a jewel-like cut of raw sushi grade tuna, Maine crabmeat, avocado tempura and paddlefish caviar with piquant Asian sauce, illustrate his respect for fine ingredients and his innovative cooking style. He reaches back to update a classic from his childhood with New England clam chowder revisited, a perfect mélange of crispy clams, confit of pork belly and a malt vinegar-spiked broth. Miso-marinated duck breast, inspired by Conley’s recent trip to Japan, where he fell in love with the country’s cooking and sense of balance, includes a delicate duck confit stuffed Napa cabbage parcel, paired with a heady Miso butter sauce and sesame ginger carrots, creating a lovely sweet and slightly sour balance of flavors.