Winner will appear in Taste of Home magazine, cook with Carla Hall, and take home $25,000

Quarter-Finalist

Paul Watson

Quit everything a few months ago to start selling my food. I have a God given passion to Cook.I wanna prove God right & rep Chicago/Ocala

Currently 4

in the Quarter-Finals

Vote

You decide who will appear in Taste of Home magazine, and win $25,000!

Voting for Semi-Finalists ends Thursday the 23rd of July at 7PM PDT

Want to learn more about our competition?

Learn More
Connect
What is your signature dish?

Rasberry bbq ribs, Hawaiian baked bbq chicken wrapped in bacon and pineapple. Mango jerk papaya chicken are a couple. I cook everything with the same love and passion and can't really say i have a signature dish but these are constantly requested along with my tacos like my brother buddah who is also a huge inspiration to me. Didn't have enough characters to say it under inspiration. Ty Eduardo Buddha Estrada. You've been an inspiration to me too. Shout out to tacosdecarneestrada on fb/ig.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

My Grand Mother, my Aunt's sharing w/me & Especially my Mother.Me and my cousin Peewee did allot of the shopping with & for them & started peeling potatoes,washing rice,cleaning beans,grating cheese,chopping veggies for sofrito & pastelles. Never forgot helping my Grandmother in the kitchen & her cooking fresh daily.Takes me to an untainted time in life full of love & It's why I Pray over everything & cook from my heart like they all did. My Mother for teaching me yo

What would you do with the $25,000?

First donate to the shine on Reign foudation. She's a beautiful little girl that's battling cancer and recently had a major mass and kidney removed and her mother kerrin lost her job for being by her daughter's side. I promised her $10,000 for expenses and help others grow their ministry like my sister in Christ Cathy M Waite, Melissa Hanson and others at interfaith emergency services in Ocala that are sincerely helping others. With what's left get my trailer/food truck

James Beard Foundation

Vote for Paul Watson 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.


1 Vote
10 Votes
25 Votes
50 Votes
100 Votes
250 Votes
Other Amount

Enter donation - $1 per vote

Make onions cry

Sharpen your knives and show the world why you’re the Favorite Chef.

Learn More