Liberty chef reaches quarterfinal round of Taste of Home’s Favorite Chef competition with chance to win $25,000

QUINCY — Bradley Darnell of Liberty is a quarterfinalist in Taste of Home’s Favorite Chef competition.

Darnell is competing for a chance to win $25,000 and be featured on Taste of Home’s magazine cover and in a two-page spread. He also would get an opportunity to cook with celebrity chef Carla Hall, who rose to fame on “Top Chef” and “The Chew.” She now has a show on HBO called “Chasing Flavor.”

Votes for Darnell can be cast at FavoriteChef.com. One free vote can be cast every 24 hours. Additional votes also can be purchased, ranging from $10 for 20 votes to $250 for 500 votes.  The quarterfinal round of voting ends at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 11.

Every purchased vote is a direct donation to DTCare, a 501(c)(3) charity, and is deductible for federal income tax purposes. DTCare will subsequently make a grant to the James Beard Foundation after the winner is announced.

Darnell has been a corporate executive chef for Kohl Wholesale since October 2012. A U.S. Army and Marine veteran, Darnell said in his contest bio that “as a combat vet, my therapy is serving people delicious food.”

Also from his bio on Taste of Home:

Who or what inspires you to cook? I speak through my food — a language that needs no words. With every plate, I tell a story of my love for cooking and share it with the people. 

What’s your all-time favorite dish to make? A staple in our house is a good chicken parm, fresh-made fettuccine noodles and alfredo sauce with a side of fresh-baked loaf of garlic and herb french bread. 

What would you do with the $25,000? I would donate a portion of it to local law enforcement for funds toward a canine for the department, then take my wife of 23 years on her first honeymoon that we never could experience.