As the summer approaches, foodies in the Tampa Bay area are eagerly anticipating the return of Meet the Chefs, a popular event hosted by Creative Loafing to kick off Tampa Bay Restaurant Week. This year, the event will take place at downtown Tampa’s The Vault on Thursday, June 6 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Meet the Chefs is a cocktail-style sampling event where guests can indulge in small bites and beverages from a variety of participating restaurants and bars. It’s a great opportunity to not only enjoy delicious food and drinks but also to chat with popular Bay area chefs. Some of the local eateries you can expect to see at Meet the Chefs this year include Caracara, The Tides Seafood Market, Birch and Vine, Bright Ice, The Brisket Shoppe, Gin Joint, Melting Pot Social, The Brinehouse, Sea Salt, and Good Intentions.
General admission tickets for Meet the Chefs are priced at $75, but for those looking for an extra special experience, VIP tickets are available for $110, which includes early entry to the event. This means an extra hour of sampling all the delicious offerings from the participating restaurants and bars.
In addition to being a fun and tasty event, Meet the Chefs also serves a charitable purpose. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Feeding Tampa Bay, a local nonprofit organization that works to end hunger across a 10-county region in Central Florida through various initiatives such as free grocery distribution, operating the free restaurant Trinity Cafe, and disaster relief efforts.
Meet the Chefs is just the beginning of the culinary celebration in Tampa Bay, as it helps kick off Tampa Restaurant Week, which will run from June 13-23 this year. During this time, dozens of restaurants on both sides of the Bay will be participating by offering exclusive prix fixe menus and cocktail specials for diners to enjoy.
For more information on the 2024 installment of Meet the Chefs and to stay updated on all things food-related in Tampa Bay, head to meetthechefstampabay.com or follow @cltampabay on Instagram. Don’t miss out on this exciting event that brings together the best chefs and restaurants in the area for a night of delicious food and drinks, all for a good cause.