Top Local Chef is headed for the bay. Switching up the venue for its eighth year, the annual culinary competition usually held at the Gulfport Casino will have guests tasting local dishes aboard the Sir Winston luxury yacht in downtown St. Pete.
Online applications are now being accepted for chefs at area restaurants who wish to compete; they'll use this year's common, not-so-secret ingredient, Kahwa Coffee, to pull off their food entries. On the day of Top Local Chef — hosted by LocalShops1 and planned for 5 to 7 p.m. April 30 — the chosen chefs will bring 300 samples of their dishes on the yacht for a chance at the title of Top Local Chef, as the Sir Winston glides along the bay.
Although the event is set to continue rain or shine, the yacht will stay docked in the case of inclement weather.
Alongside a panel of judges that includes head judge Ray Lampe, a.k.a. Dr. BBQ, the crowd will have a say in the People's Choice category. Each vote costs $1, and proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Kind Mouse Productions.
Another portion of the event is a marketplace, featuring a curated lineup of vendors with locally made products. Tickets, which are $75 for general admission and $100 for VIP, can be found online in advance.
This article appears in Feb 9-16, 2017.