Hamptonite Competing in 2021 Favorite Chef Contest

Chef Marco C. Barrila of Southampton-based Insatiable Eats Catering is competing in the Favorite Chef competition hosted by celebrity Chef Eddie Matney — and if Barilla wins, he plans to donate the prize money to help build a kitchen for an East End nonprofit.

The Favorite Chef is an exclusive online competition for chefs around the globe, where the winner receives $50,000, the title of World’s Favorite Chef and a feature in a two-page advertising spread in Bon Appétit. The competition will be donating a portion of its proceeds to Feeding America, a nonprofit organization that fights against world hunger. 

“Food is my life! For these reasons, food brings happiness to people. It’s a way to share the love with others,” Barrila told Favorite Chef. “I was given the innate ability to unite with my talent through modern world cuisine. In these perilous times, I would like to bring happiness in people’s homes.”

Barrila, born in Sicily, made his way to New York at the age of 24 to pursue his career as a chef. Since then, he established Insatiable Eats Catering in 2010 and has won numerous awards such as being honored as one of the Top 40 Chefs in New York in 1999, awarded by San Francisco’s Tasting Institute in 2000 and awarded by Prestigious Tasting Institute of America in 2002.

If Barrila wins the competition, he plans to donate the money to Citizens 4 Humanity, a nonprofit organization founded by his sister-in-law, April Minkel. 

“This money would help build a meal distribution kitchen for Citizens 4 Humanity that provides prepared meals to families and seniors in crisis,” said Barrila, “C4H is an all volunteer grassroots organization of ‘people helping people’ with a focus on single moms. My wife was raised by a single mom of six so this cause is very close to our hearts. C4H currently feeds hundreds in the community through donated church kitchens. Having our own kitchen would enable us to fully use and expand our efforts.”

There were more than 25,000 chefs competing in the Favorite Chef contest this year. Barrila is currently placed in third of the semi-finals. The winner of the semi-finals will be announced on April 1. The final round of the competition will take place the following week, with the sole winner being announced on April 8.

To vote for Barrila visit favchef.com/2021/marco-c-barrila