Hello friends! I confessed the other day that I entered a Favorite Chef contest, which is totally out of character for me. But it was fun! It made me zero in on some things. Like this:
Q: Tell us why you should be the Favorite Chef?
A: I’m a storyteller who cooks—sharing soulful recipes, family tales, and global flavors at GloverGardens.com. Food is my love language.
Boom! I’m so happy with that description. It’s going on the Mood Board we keep at Glover Gardens, to remind ourselves who we are and what dreams we want to chase. Entering this contest was an awesome opportunity to hone my point of view, which is something we should all do with our careers AND our hobbies. Regarding food being my love language, I wrote something recently about how much I love to cook for my peeps:
I also ‘fessed up about gumbo.
I have a gumbo obsession going way back to my parents, and have written extensively about it here, including the recipe and a set of detailed instructions.
Q: What’s your all time favorite dish to make?
A: Gumbo is more than just a dish for me; it’s a cherished family tradition that embodies love, storytelling, and communal bonding. From my parents’ early gumbo experiments inspired by a New Orleans cooking class to the classes I now teach for friends and family, each pot is the beginning of a new story. I’ve perfected my gumbo approach over the years and love to make it in a group setting to share its rich tapestry of flavors and the memories that define our family’s culinary journey.
Tell It Like It Is
Somehow, all this authenticity paid off.
I made the cut for the top 20 in the contest! I’m the long shot, but your votes put me in this position, and now I want to WIN!
Vote Early and Often
Please consider voting for me, which can be done daily… really!
There’s an option to make a tax-deductible contribution to supply more than one vote. I’m not pushing for that – unless you need a tax-deductible contribution. 😎 The recipient is the James Beard Foundation, making cooking school tuition easier for young aspiring chefs. Click the pic to vote.
Or click here: https://favchef.com/2025/kim-glover
Y’all rock – and you got me to this position in the first place.
Once more, the link to vote is: favchef.com/2025/kim-glover
© Glover Gardens, 2025
Follow-up: I kept getting second and advanced to the round before the quarterfinals, where I came in 2nd again (out of an original group of 60). There was a lightning round to allow one more person into the quarterfinals, and I didn’t win that one. I learned a lot from this experience and appreciate every vote!
Congratulations!