FAIRHOPE, Ala. — If you remember Chef Andrew Selz from the Food Network’s “Navy Chef Challenge,” or have heard about his new radio call-in show, “In the Kitchen with Chef Andrew” (WABF 1220, Wednesdays, 10:05-10:35 a.m.), then you probably already know he’s into much more than the standard fried fare.

Selz once served as a personal chef to then-President Bill Clinton from 1992-1993, and has cooked for military leaders, visiting foreign dignitaries and royalty.

He is now hanging his chef’s hat at D’Olive Bay Wood Fired Grill in Daphne, where he is executive chef and a partner in the business. There, he is preparing dishes that are sure to shake up the palate.

“We have eclectic fusion cuisine,” Selz said. “My specialty is working different flavors into one dish. When you alternate different culture profiles in one dish, that’s fusion.”

He said he enjoys using lots of beans, legumes and truffles in his dishes, and encourages those who work alongside him to bring in recipes to try.

“When you inspire creativity like that in your staff, you can’t lose,” Selz said. “I’m not a dictator in the kitchen by any means.”

Borrowing from a line made famous by Chevy Chase in the film “Caddyshack” to help them better explore their own creativity, he noted he tells his staff to “be the sauce.”

D’Olive Bay Wood Fired Grill offers authentic Creole, Southern, European and Asian cuisine, including seafood, steaks and pastas. There seems to be something for everyone on the menu, even those who still enjoy a fried shrimp dinner.

“Our wine list is very unique,” Selz added. “We offer ‘wine flights’ — red or white — so you can understand three different wines. Educating the community in food and wine is very important.”

The chef stressed that going out to eat should be more than that, and he works toward that goal. He said, “It’s not just a dinner. It’s a dining experience.”

Selz was born in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and has called various cities home. He moved to Pensacola two years ago, after spending the previous six years in New York. Two months ago, he packed up and moved to Daphne.

“My media career took me all over the country,” he said.

Selz is a graduate and former instructor of the Culinary Institute of America, and has made numerous appearances on the Food Network, ABC, NBC, CBS and PBS. When taking calls on some of his earlier radio programs, he said, he was often asked about Clinton.

“I was his personal chef at his retreats in Hilton Head (S.C.), and that led to two-and-a-half years as his personal chef for other events,” Selz said. “There’s also not too many military leaders in his time frame I haven’t cooked for.”

He said only a handful of chefs are nominated to cook for the president. He said there was a grueling screening process involved, as one might expect when being asked to cook for the leader of the free world.

Selz arrived in Daphne by way of Spanish Fort. He said, “I was a guest celebrity chef at the Five Rivers wine event. Someone said I’ve got to take you to this new place — it used to be the Nautilus, a fried place.”

Selz initially signed on as a consultant, but then became a partner and executive chef.

“I think I can bring a lot to the community,” he said. “I’ve already met a lot of great people in Daphne and Fairhope.” Selz added some think there are too many eateries on the Eastern Shore, but he believes there’s strength in numbers as growth continues.

“I think the more restaurants, the better. A rising tide lifts all ships,” he said.

Selz is the author of Plank Cooking with Chef Selz and the upcoming The Captain’s Table. Both cookbooks herald his philosophy.

“Happiness is cooking with flavor,” he said. “It’s also about when you challenge a recipe for the first time and it turns out well. My cookbook is specifically about plank cooking. A mother, a single mom or a father can make a meal in 15 minutes. It’s a fun thing. It’s an entertainment venue.”

The radio show is as much about fun as it is about cooking, Selz said. The next episode (Jan. 30) will feature Vino e Grappa, a Daphne wine retailer with “big, bold red wines and hearty winter dishes.”

Selz said, “I really want to entertain through the media sector. Call in and let me help you. It’s not about Andrew anymore.”

He continued, saying, “If I can bring in the chef from the Colony Grill and the Pillars, that would be great. I’ve already had the fame, so why not bring the rest of the community into the limelight? I’d like to bring some entertainment and knowledge.”

Another future show might carry a grilling theme.

“Dad does 60 percent of the grilling, but mom makes 90 percent of the decision about what to grill,” Selz said, adding he would address both sides of the equation.

For more information about D’Olive Bay Wood Fired Grill, visit www.dolivebay.com or call (251) 626-0783. To learn more about Chef Andrew Selz, click on www.chefselz.com.