David Barzelay, founder and chef of San Francisco’s Lazy Bear, returns to Tampa this fall. Credit: lazybearsf / Facebook

Each year, Seminole Heights mainstay and two-time Bib Gourmand recipient Rooster & the Till welcomes prominent chefs from around the country to give Tampeños a taste of their worldly cuisine—and its 2023 lineup just dropped.

Each monthly installment of the dinner series at Rooster & the Till—located at 6500 N Florida Ave. —will offer a unique spread of tasting menus and experiences.

This year’s series kicks off with Chef Claudette Zepeda—winner of “Iron Chef,” a Michelin Bib Gourmand receipt and James Beard nominee—on Sunday, Aug. 27. The San Diego-based chef with a self-styled “fearless style and bold approach to regional Mexican cuisine.”
Other guest chefs include popular ceramist and culinary mind Zach Meloy on Oct. 8, Tampa native and Twice-Michelin-starred David Barzelay on Nov. 5, and James Beard nominee Chef Chad Colby and former Rooster & the Till sous chef Arturo Rojas—who both helm the kitchen at Los Angeles Italian restaurant Antico Nuovo—on Dec. 3.

Although Barzelay left his hometown many years ago for the other Bay area, the lawyer-turned-chef brings his popular modern American fare from San Francisco’s Lazy Bear back to Tampa for one night only. Michelin inspectors describe his food as having “a sweeping creative scope, drawing on both nostalgia and current culinary trends with a confident swagger.”

Tickets to each installment of the Chef Dinner Series cost between $250-$350 per person and can be purchased via roosterandthetill.com. Each ticket includes a minimum of six courses paired with beverages, alongside access to a cocktail happy hour before the dinner itself and curated tunes from Tampa’s own DJ Blenda.

Rooster & the Till recommends getting your tickets ASAP, since seating at the intimate Seminole Heights restaurant is extremely limited.

For more information on the out-of-town chefs heading to Tampa for 2023’s Chef Dinner Series, head to Rooster & the Till’s Instagram at @roosterandthetill.

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