A marinator apparatus for the preparation of pieces of a whole chicken includes a fluid-tight hollow drum with opposing top and bottom walls that are substantially planar and that include an opening with a lid configured to sealingly close the opening. The drum further includes an interior baffle fixed inside that separates the drum into a top compartment accessible only through the top opening and an opposite bottom compartment accessible only through the bottom opening. The drum is supported for rotation by a support axle projecting from one end wall and a drive axle projecting from the opposite end wall. The drive axle includes a driven gear configure to be driven by a powered drive gear.