LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR SECTION 16 REPORTING OBLIGATIONS

      Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints each of Martin M. Lindsay and
Michael D. Thompson, or any of them acting singly and with
full power of substitution, the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact to:

1.   execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned's capacity as an officer or director or both of The
Middleby Corporation (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4 and 5 (and any
amendments thereto) in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
and the rules thereunder;

2.   do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute any such Form 3, 4 or 5, complete and execute any
amendments thereto, and timely file such form with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and any securities
exchange or similar authority, including without limitation the
filing of a Form ID or any other documents necessary or
appropriate to enable the undersigned to file the Forms 3, 4 and 5
electronically with the SEC; and

3.   take any other action in connection with the foregoing which,
in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in
the best interest of, or legally required by or for, the
undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by
such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to
this Limited Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall
contain such information and disclosure as such attorney-in-fact
may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

      The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every act and
thing whatsoever required, necessary or proper to be done in the
exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully
to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do
if personally present, with full power of substitution or
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or
substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of
this Limited Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted.

      The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-
in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request and on the
behalf of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company
assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply
with, or any liability for the failure to comply with, any
provision of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

      This Limited Power of Attorney shall remain in full force
and effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file
Forms 3, 4 or 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and
transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to each
of the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this
Limited Power of Attorney as of this 18th day of August, 2021.

                              Signed and acknowledged:

                             /s/ Gordon O'Brien
                                 Signature

                                Gordon O'Brien
                                Printed Name