A nationwide purpose-driven competition supporting the James Beard Foundation.
Carla Hall with 2024 Favorite Chef Keyana Jadali
Favorite Chef is a celebration of the culinary community and the talented individuals who bring people together through the magic of food. During this nationwide competition, chefs rally support from their communities for a chance to earn the title of Favorite Chef 2026 and the opportunity to be featured in Taste of Home magazine, win $25,000, and cook with celebrity chef Carla Hall on an episode of Chewed Up.
This annual competition is run by Colossal, the leading professional fundraiser for purpose-driven competitions, and has raised over $12.9M to benefit the James Beard Foundation.
By voting for your favorite chef, you help support our mission to celebrate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability.
FAQs
Favorite Chef is a nationwide competition that encourages home and professional chefs to compete to have their creations and story shared in Taste of Home magazine, take home $25k, and cook with celebrity chef Carla Hall on an episode of Chewed Up. The competition is run by Colossal and benefits James Beard Foundation. Learn more at favchef.com.
Chefs enter the competition by submitting photos and basic information during the official entry period. Once the competition begins, the public votes for their favorite culinary creator online. Voting happens in multiple rounds, with cooks advancing based on the number of votes received. The chef with the most votes in the Final round wins. Fans can cast one free vote every 24 hours. Additional votes by donation are also available, helping support our mission. Be sure to review the official rules on the competition website https://favchef.com/rules.
Colossal runs the Favorite Chef competition as part of a fundraising campaign on behalf of DTCare, a 501(c)(3) charity.
No. Colossal runs the Favorite Chef competition as part of a fundraising campaign on behalf of DTCare, a 501(c)(3) charity.
The winner of the Favorite Chef competition is determined through public voting. For additional information about the voting process, please visit https://favchef.com/rules or contact the competition support team at hello@favchef.com.
Funds raised through votes by donation during the Favorite Chef competition go directly to DTCare. This 501(c)(3) subsequently grants the funds—minus applicable competition fees and costs, and a nominal retained percentage—to the James Beard Foundation at the conclusion of the competition.
Many nonprofits with meaningful missions lack the bandwidth to operate large-scale fundraising campaigns year-round. Through this competition, DTCare enables the James Beard Foundation to focus energy on our mission.
Upon completing a vote by donation, a receipt is automatically generated and provided via email. Donations may be deductible for federal income tax purposes where applicable. For tax-related questions, donors are encouraged to consult a CPA or tax advisor. If you did not receive a receipt or need a copy, please contact the competition support team at hello@favchef.com. Receipts are issued by DTCare, not the James Beard Foundation.
No. James Beard Foundation does not participate in selecting the winner. The winner of the Favorite Chef competition is determined solely through public voting.