Kenyan Chef Finess Mabola Advances in Favourite Chef USA Competition

Kenyan-born chef Finess Mabola has secured a place in the Favourite Chef USA competition, an online culinary contest that features chefs from across the United States and abroad.

Launched in 2021, the Favourite Chef USA competition differs from traditional cooking contests by operating entirely online. Contestants submit profiles and present their dishes digitally, while public voting plays a central role in determining who advances through the competition. 

The winner will receive a $25,000 cash prize, appear in Taste of Home magazine and cook alongside chef Carla Hall. Mabola, who is now based in the United States, said his cooking style is centred on storytelling through food. 

“I bring flavour, creativity, and real energy, turning every dish into an experience people remember and keep coming back for,” he said. 

His approach focuses on creating dishes that combine flavour, presentation and emotional connection. The competition has featured several well-known figures in recent years. 

Hall has mentored contestants, while entertainer John Legend has served as a public ambassador for the event. Their involvement has helped raise the competition’s profile and expand its audience.

Mabola joins a growing number of Kenyan chefs who have taken part in the contest, including Robie Too and Pamela Mburo.