A medium shot of two people posing and smiling at a high-top table during the 'Meet the Chefs' event at The Birchwood in St. Petersburg, Florida. On the left, an individual with curly, auburn-tinted hair wears a purple and blue patterned sleeveless top, gold necklaces, and a metallic crossbody bag strap. On the right, an individual with dark hair styled up in locs wears large, square-framed sunglasses and a sleeveless black top with ruffle detailing. Small plates of food, utensils, and smartphones sit on the black tablecloth in front of them. The background features a glass balcony railing overlooking lush green treetops under a bright, overcast evening sky.
Partygoers at Meet The Chefs at The Birchwood in St. Petersburg, Florida on June 18, 2026. Credit: Nick Cardello / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

There are few hundred people day dreaming about The Helm’s blue crab kettle chips this week, and that’s all thanks to Meet The Chefs.

The annual celebration of the Tampa Bay culinary scene—made possible this year thanks to a partnership with Visit St. Pete-Clearwater—landed at The Birchwood on downtown St. Petersburg’s Beach Drive last Thursday, bringing with it close to two dozen of Pinellas’ brightest culinary minds.

Food scene fans from both sides of the bridge (including Titus O’Neil!) joined the chefs who were more than ready to feed the hungry hotties on patrol with unlimited samples from their kitchens.

Meet The Chefs comes to Tampa this week, when it brings 14 chefs to The Vault, on the same block as Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s headquarters.

Tickets to the Tampa edition of Meet The Chefs happening Thursday, June 25 at The Vault are still available and start at $85.

All photos by Nick Cardello.

Credit: Nick Cardello

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This article appears in June 18 – 24, 2026.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...