TAMPA, Fla. — Life has gone full circle for Zakari Davila, who was raised in Tampa, earned his culinary chops in New York City, and has now returned home as a "Chopped" champion.
Davila said his passion for cooking began right here in Tampa when he was about 12 years old, watching and learning from his grandmother.
“She was just very creative. I remember her telling me, ‘Zak, whatever you like, just put it in, who cares, make it taste good,’ and that just showed me that there were no boundaries in life, you can do what you wanted, and you could strive to be who you wanted to be and then from there on I just wanted to cook,” said Davila.
Davila ended up moving to New York City at the age of 20 to pursue his culinary dreams.
“Never been to New York before, I just flew out there and started culinary school. My journey started, culture shock, new environment, completely different than Tampa, Florida,” said Davila.
During the pandemic, Davila moved back to Tampa, and earlier this year, he got the call that would put his cooking skills to the ultimate test, the Food Network show "Chopped."
“I was like, let’s do it. No hesitation. I’m a very competitive person. So naturally, I just wanted to win,” said Davila. “This is going to sound weird, but it came natural. I went in, I cooked, I did what I do best, I gave my personality.”
The show aired on April 23, 2024, and Davila was named "Chopped" champion at the end of the episode.
“I was shocked, I was happy, a lot of emotion. I definitely did it for my grandmother, so I was overcome with emotion there, knowing she would be happy. She passed about three months before the show,” said Davila.
During the show, Davila said, “It's an honor. My grandmother would be ecstatic. She wouldn’t even have words.”
Now, Davila continues his championship cooking right here in Tampa at Catering by the Family, which, in a way, is his own extended family. Davila grew up around owner Steven Gonzalez, best friends with his son.
“Great stories all the way through. Me grilling at the house, him there with my sons and everybody fighting and excited and competitive. Then he’d walk by the grill and say, ‘I’m going to out cook you one day,’” said Gonzalez.
Davila hopes to be an inspiration in the Catering by the Family kitchen and kitchens across Tampa Bay.
“Definitely a voice in the community, especially where I’ve come from, West Tampa. Deep-rooted there. I even had my catholic school, that was Villa Madonna, shouting me out,” said Davila.
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