For the first time since 2019, the James Beard Foundation—a nationally-recognized culinary institution—is making its return to Tampa Bay.
On Sunday, Oct. 29 Hyde Park restaurant Willa’s (1700 W Fig St.) will host the foundation’s Beard by the Bay dinner, a culmination of the best local chefs, mixologists and sommeliers who will raise money for the food-focused nonprofit's mission of “contributing to the development of the next generation of great American chefs.”
Just a few of the local chefs that will contribute to this month’s charity dinner include Rooster & the Till’s Ferrell Alvarez (who was a James Beard semi-finalist in 2017), Supernatural Food & Wine owner Wesley Roderick, BT Nguyen of Restaurant BT, executive chefs from all three of Tampa’s Michelin-awarded restaurants (Rocca, Koya and Lilac) and Gabe Lopez of host restaurant Willa’s, alongside Pinellas-based chefs like Wild Child’s Rob Reinsmith, David Benstock of IL Ritorno and James Renew of Clearwater’s Little Lamb Gastropub.
The full list of participating chefs and restaurateurs can be found at beardbythebay.com.
Some restaurants will also showcase their bartenders and mixologists to compliment the event’s multi-course tasting dinner.
Tickets to this year’s Beard by the Bay are about $1,000 each—with tables of four and six costing $4,000 and $6,000, respectively. Each guest will have access to the six-course tasting dinner, premium wines, cocktails and NA pairings. A table of eight guests cost $7,500 and the largest and most expensive option is the “Chef’s Table,” which seats 14 patrons in a private room for a whopping $20,000.
RSBP Events+PR, the organizers of this event, tell Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that there are a limited number of tables to purchase.
The theme of this year’s event is “disco supper club,” so guests can expect the sleek Hyde Park restaurant to be transformed into a groovy, vintage-inspired lounge.
“The event promises an unparalleled dining experience, featuring carefully curated menus that reflect the diversity and creativity of the Tampa Bay region’s culinary scene,” says Kris Moon, president and COO of the James Beard Foundation, in a press release. “From exquisitely prepared dishes to expertly crafted cocktails and paired wine selection, each element of the evening is designed to be an intimate immersive experience.”
Separate from the James Beard awards that celebrate the country’s most innovative folks in the restaurant industry, the James Beard Foundation is a nonprofit organization that “celebrates, supports, and elevates the people behind America’s food culture and champions a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability.”
A portion of proceeds from this month’s Beard by the Bay will benefit the James Beard Foundation via Bespoke Collaborative Charities, a Tampa-based organization affiliated with local clothing brand Bespoke & Co.
For more information on this year’s Beard by the Bay, head to its Instagram at @beardbythebay, where the event’s specific dishes and beverages will be announced soon.
Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
James Beard dinner unites Tampa Bay’s best chefs, mixologists and sommeliers this month
‘Beard by the Bay’ happens on Oct. 29 at Hyde Park restaurant Willa’s.
WE LOVE OUR READERS!
Since 1988, CL Tampa Bay has served as the free, independent voice of Tampa Bay, and we want to keep it that way.
Becoming a CL Tampa Bay Supporter for as little as $5 a month allows us to continue offering readers access to our coverage of local news, food, nightlife, events, and culture with no paywalls.
About The Author
Scroll to read more Food & Drink Events articles
