Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000
I turn donated pantry ingredients into unexpected meals, making “not enough” feel thoughtful, creative, and worth sharing.
You decide who will appear in Taste of Home magazine, and win $25,000!
Want to learn more about our competition?
Learn MoreWant to be notified if their position changes?
Receive Text Updates
Some people might say my signature dish is “just a side,” but I’ll happily eat my collard greens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’m a NorCal guy with an agriculture background, but I didn’t grow up eating collard greens. Yet somehow developed a recipe so good it made a husband ask his wife, “Who made the greens?”—and he joked not to let his mother find out. I think my time in the Navy and traveling helped shape my recipe.
Who is your culinary inspiration?Growing up in the ‘90s, all of my grandmas kept an arsenal of recipes in a treasured spot in their kitchens. I still think about their enchiladas, bierocks, and an unexpectedly addictive tuna-and-sauerkraut dip served with Fritos. They also made things I couldn’t stand as a kid—over-easy eggs, scalloped potatoes, and liver and onions. As an adult, I’ve grown to appreciate almost all of it… although I’m still not convinced about eating organs. 🤷🏻♂️
What would you do with the $25,000?My goal is to reach people experiencing food, employment, or housing insecurity and show them what’s possible through creativity, dignity, and persistence. Pantry Palette is how I express creativity through food, photography, and storytelling while proving overlooked ingredients can become something thoughtful and worth sharing. My long-term vision is to build a nonprofit that creates skilled jobs for people rebuilding their lives.
Vote for Jeffrey Allen to be the next Favorite Chef while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote below, or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting the James Beard Foundation and their mission to lead chefs and the broader culinary industry toward a new standard of excellence.
