Do you think you have legit cooking skills to make it to the Favorite Chef final round? Register today!

What’s Cooking in 2025?

This year’s winner will savor a prize package designed to propel their culinary journey to new heights:

• • $25,000: This cash prize offers endless possibilities, from pursuing culinary education to investing in a dream restaurant concept.
  • Appearance in Taste Recipes Magazine: As America’s premier cooking publication, Taste Recipes provides the perfect platform to showcase the winner’s unique culinary story.
  • Exclusive Cooking Experience with Chef Carla Hall: Known for her charm and culinary prowess, chef Hall will offer hands-on guidance to elevate the winner’s skills.

Colossal Turns Up the Heat – Big-Time

And if you didn’t think the Favorite Chef competition was already legit, chefs Aarón Sánchez and Andrew Zimmern join Carla Hall as 2025 Chef’s Picks, meaning, along with the Public’s Choice champion, there are three more opportunities to win. Qualified Favorite Chef contenders will have the chance to showcase their skills to make a lasting impression on these chefs. Each expert will handpick one standout talent to win a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience.

AARÓN SÁNCHEZ

Award-winning chef and TV personality Aarón Sánchez co-stars on MasterChef and hosts “El Toque de Aarón.” A James Beard award winner, he’s recognized as a leader for the Hispanic community.

ANDREW ZIMMERN

Celebrated chef, TV personality and James Beard Award-winning host, this culinary icon is known for his adventurous palate and cultural curiosity. Best known for “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern,” he has traveled the globe showcasing unique cuisines.

CARLA HALL

Carla Hall rose to fame on “Top Chef” and “The Chew.” Now, as host of her own HBO show “Chasing Flavor” and presenter of Favorite Chef, she continues to inspire with diverse cuisines, making cooking an irresistible adventure for all.

A Dynamic Duo of Hosts

For 2025, the competition is turning up the charisma with the return of Hall, now joined by former Favorite Chef champion Karen Jenkins, affectionately known as Chef Kay. This powerhouse duo brings a perfect blend of expertise and personality, making them the ultimate guides for contestants navigating the competition.

Chef Kay’s journey from champion to co-host exemplifies how this competition opens doors, inspiring participants to dream big and aim higher. “It’s an incredible opportunity to mentor others while showcasing the transformative impact this competition can have,” she shared.

Favorite Chef Supports the James Beard Foundation

Favorite Chef is about more than competing—it’s a platform to support the James Beard Foundation (JBF) in their mission to create a more equitable and sustainable food industry. The competition, operated by Colossal, raises funds on behalf of DTCare, a nationally registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Proceeds from the competition are directed to DTCare, which in turn issues grants to JBF, amplifying their work in championing diversity and sustainability in the culinary world.

“Colossal’s competitions have an extraordinary way of bringing people together around food, and we’re honored to be part of an initiative that uplifts talent while supporting our mission,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. “Together, we’re creating a future where good food thrives on principles of talent, equity, and sustainability.”

Workshops and Industry Insight

To add even more value, this year’s competition includes exclusive workshops led by industry professionals. These sessions provide participants with behind-the-scenes knowledge, from perfecting plating techniques to mastering the art of storytelling through food.

Favorite Chef 2025 Sponsors

Each year, beloved culinary brands stand behind Colossal and Favorite Chef. With the return of John Boos & Co (provider of high-quality cutting boards, butcher blocks and workspaces), Cutco® (provider of American-made premium knives, kitchen solutions and knife know-how) and Chef Works® (manufacturer of chef uniforms and chef wear programs), comes popular brands including Shun (the premier brand of authentic Japanese cutlery) and SCANPAN® (manufacturer of fine, safe, sustainable Danish cookware).

Who’s Next?

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a home cook with big dreams, the Favorite Chef Competition is your chance to turn your culinary passion into something extraordinary.

Think you have what it takes to claim the title of Favorite Chef? Don’t wait—register now and show the world your culinary genius! This is your chance to make your mark, support an incredible cause, and take your skills to the next level.

Why Colossal?

Colossal is the global leader in online competitions and a trusted partner for charities that aim to make a big impact. By blending innovation, engagement, and philanthropy, Colossal creates experiences that empower individuals while raising awareness and funds for important causes.

Register Here

Colossal FAQ

Is Favorite Chef legitimate?

Absolutely! Favorite Chef is not only an exciting online culinary competition, but it also makes a big impact. Since 2023, over $9.5 million has been granted through Colossal’s charity grantmaking partner, DTCare, to the James Beard Foundation. In this annual fundraising campaign, the public casts online votes to crown one cook as the champion to win $25,000, appear in Taste Recipes, and cook with the legend Carla Hall. Chef Karen Jenkins of Virginia took the 2023 crown (she returns in 2025 as co-host), and chef Keyana Jadali came out on top in 2024. So yes, Favorite Chef is proven to be a legitimate and impactful competition.

How do Colossal competitions work?

Colossal partners with a variety of brands, publications, influencers, and charities to develop amazing prize packages for their competitions. Interested people sign up, and Colossal vets them to make sure they are real humans and good candidates for the competition. People vote for their favorite, and the competitor with the most votes in the final round wins!

Is my donation tax-deductible?

Yes! All donations made through the Colossal platform go to DTCare, a U.S. 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity. DTCare has partnered with Colossal to make giving internationally and domestically safe, easy, and effective for U.S. donors by raising charitable donations from members of the public to fund monetary grants to other charitable organizations.

The post Favorite Chef 2025 Turns Up the Heat: Colossal Partners With Carla Hall, Aarón Sánchez, Andrew Zimmern appeared first on Taste Recipes.

The 2023 Favorite Chef will receive $25,000, a 2-page advertorial in Taste Recipes magazine, and a one-on-one cooking experience with Chef Carla Hall in New York City. Here’s what makes the prize package so special:

• $25,000—this one is self-explanatory. The pastabilities are endless with the cash prize, whether the winner wants to put it toward culinary education or open a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
• Taste Recipes is America’s #1 cooking magazine—what better place for a passionate chef to share their story? The publication showcases delectable recipes and the latest news in the culinary world.
• The incredible cooking experience with Carla Hall will be held at Platform by JBF, a brand-new modern kitchen and educational space in the Big Apple.

The spirited chef Carla Hall, a Food Network fan favorite (we can’t get enough of her costumes on the annual Halloween Baking Championship), is offering insight and wisdom to competitors as the competition host. To add value, Colossal has introduced exclusive workshops featuring industry pros, including:

• The Art of Plating and Presentation with Carla Hall
• Leadership In and Out of the Kitchen with Kris Moon, President and COO of the James Beard Foundation
• The Secret Sauce to Catering Events with Chef Terry Matthews (aka BBQ Daddy)
• Cooking Up Engaging Social Content with Social Media Influencer Melissa Anaya (@eatdrinkaz)

It’s not just the prizes and workshops that make this competition extraordinary; the Favorite Chef Competition is operated by Colossal as a fundraiser on behalf of DTCare, a nationally registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Funds raised during the Favorite Chef Competition go to DTCare, who will subsequently issue a grant to the James Beard Foundation after the conclusion of the competition.

“We are absolutely delighted to see how the Colossal competitions bring so many people together around food, and we are deeply grateful that this initiative will benefit the Foundation’s efforts to champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of JBF.

Colossal takes pride in their strong relationship with the James Beard Foundation — which has been a celebrated charity in the culinary world for over 30 years. JBF strives to achieve their mission of preserving America’s culinary heritage and promoting sustainability and diversity in the food industry through annual awards, industry and community-focused initiatives and programs, advocacy, partnerships and national events.

The Favorite Chef Competition is poised to be the biggest online culinary event in years, and it’s giving chefs a chance to turn their passion into a career.

“I received so much press attention, have been featured in newspapers, and have been interviewed on popular podcasts,” said 2021 Favorite Chef Sémone Hopkins after her win.

The stakes are high this year with $25K, a 2-page advertorial in Taste Recipes, and an NYC cooking experience with Chef Carla Hall on the line. Who will be the next Favorite Chef to win it all? Only thyme will tell.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Colossal?

Colossal is the global leader in online competitions and one of the most effective fundraising solutions available for charities that lack the bandwidth to operate large-scale campaigns. While offering extraordinary opportunities to men and women around the world, each competition operated by Colossal is designed to raise money for a unique and important cause. To learn more, visit colossal.org.

Does Taste Recipes magazine run the Favorite Chef Competition?

No. Colossal Management, LLC, a nationally registered professional fundraiser, operates Favorite Chef on behalf of charitable grantmaker, DTCare. If you have questions about the competition, please learn more here or email the competition support team directly at [email protected].

How is the winner selected?

The winner of the Favorite Chef Competition is determined through public voting. Carla Hall will also select one competitor’s plated presentation submission as “Carla’s Pick.” If you have questions about the competition, please learn more here or email the competition support team directly at [email protected].

Where does the competition money go?

The grant to James Beard Foundation will come from “Champion Votes” cast through the competition. 100% of donations go directly to DTCare, which will subsequently grant the donation (minus competition fees/costs), to James Beard Foundation at the end of the competition. Learn more here.

The post Sizzle for a Cause: Favorite Chef Heats up the Kitchen appeared first on Taste Recipes.