The Travel Podcast.

Culinary Culture in Florida

Episode #52 – 6 Jan 2021

Coming up in this episode.
On this episode Steve introduces three interviews focusing on Florida’s culinary culture. From Pensacola’s southern influence, Tampa with their claim to the best Cuban sandwich and St Augustine rich history providing inspiration to local chefs.
 
Our special guest share their passion to local cuisine and you do not want to miss the interview with the Godfather of Tampa’s food scene, Richard Gonzmart… His passion for food, the community and providing some of the best food Florida has to offer!
 
Including:
  • The Asado Life
  • Southern influence on cuisine
  • Farm to table or catch and cook opportunities
  • History of the destination and its impact on cuisine
  • The Cuban Sandwich & how it differs from Tampa to Miami
  • What makes Tampa unique & how does that effect the culinary scene

Useful Links.

Columbia Restaurant

La Cocina Restaurants

The Grand Marlin Pensacola

Urban Asado

Your Hosts for Today’s Episode.

  • Steve Witt
  • Matthew Butler

The Travel Podcast | Special Guest

Gregg McCarthy|  Corporate Chef/Partner The Grand Marlin of Pensacola Beach

About Gregg

Chef Gregg, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, procures the freshest seafood the ocean’s waters have to offer and uses his culinary skills to create innovative and tantalizing dishes. With a distinguished career that includes cooking at the Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington D.C. and The Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas, Chef Gregg was also sous chef at the Buckhead Diner in Atlanta. Winner of numerous awards and featured on PBS’s Great Chefs series, Chef Gregg has also been a guest chef at prestigious James Beard House. Before coming to the Grand Marlin, Chef Gregg was Corporate Executive Chef at Atlanta’s Ray’s Restaurants, including Ray’s on the River, Ray’s Killer Creek and Ray’s In the City. In March 2010 Chef Gregg opened The Grand Marlin of Pensacola Beach, and in October 2016 he also went on to open The Grand Marlin of Panama City Beach.

The Travel Podcast | Special Guest

Nicole Stacey | Visit Pensacola

About Nicole

Nicole joined the Visit Pensacola team in 2016 as the director of marketing and communications. She is responsible for overseeing the organization’s domestic and international marketing efforts, the organization’s agency, Showcase Pensacola, grant allocations, public relations, brand identity, social media, and web design.

Before Visit Pensacola, Stacey was the director of the Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce, where she was responsible for the day to day operations. She has over 8 years of marketing and communications experience and has been in the tourism and hospitality industry for over 12 years.

The Travel Podcast | Special Guest

Richard Gonzmart | President – Columbia Restaurant Group, 4th Generation Family Member

About Richard

The fourth-generation “caretaker” of the Columbia Restaurant Group, Richard Gonzmart has been named –as part of more than 100 awards –Community Hero by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. He also has been officially named a Luminary, a Visionary and a Philanthropist of the Year as well as Father of the Year, Hispanic Man of the Year, Businessman of the Year, Alumni of the Year at Jesuit and Academy of the Holy Names, Outstanding Citizen of the Year and Tampa Police Citizen of the Year. He has been inducted into five Hall of Fames, among them, the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) Hall of Fame. He is a three-time James Beard semi-finalist for Outstanding Restaurateur.

Gonzmart serves or has served on dozens of non-profit boards and organizations, including Tampa General Hospital’s governing board. He is passionate about the education of our youth and young adults, and about finding a cure for cancer. Pope Francis recognized Richard with the highest recognition of the Catholic Church, the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice.

His great-grandfather started the world-famous Columbia Restaurant in Tampa’s historic Ybor City in 1905. Still 100 percent family-owned, it’s now the oldest restaurant in Florida. There are seven Columbia restaurants in the state. Newer restaurant concepts include Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele, Goody Goody and Café Con Leche Ybor City, increasing the number of restaurants to 13. He has at least two more restaurants planned over the next three years.Richard has been married to his high school sweetheart and first love Melanie Gonzmart since 1973. They have two daughters, Lauren Gonzmart Schellman and Andrea Gonzmart Williams. Andrea works with her father in the family business. He has five grandchildren: Twins Isabella and Michael, Maximilian, Alexander and Amelia, who represent the 6th generation.

The Travel Podcast | Special Guest

Nick Carrera | Urban Asado

About Nick

Nick Carrera is the man behind the grills. When Nick is not fabricating his handcrafted, Argentine-style barbecue grills, there is a good chance you’ll find him grilling on one. His passion for wood fired grilling is obvious and contagious. Because of this, Nick knew that a regular fabrication shop just wouldn’t do. He & his wife Christie created a fabrication studio equipped with several functioning grill displays to demonstrate for customers, as well as some of our area’s finest chefs.With a powerful sense of community, Nick and Christie have turned the Urban Asado and the Chef’s Collaborative into one of the most unique dining experiences in North Florida.

The Travel Podcast | Special Guest

Norberto Jaramillo | Owner of La Cocina Restaurant on St. Augustine Beach

About Norberto

Chef Norberto’s journey into the world of culinary arts began quite humbly and naturally in his family home in Columbia. He says, “My mom always cooked when I was growing up. We had a big backyard where my dad grew everything. He grew our own yucca, potatoes, corn, and citrus. When we cooked, it was just a matter of pulling food from the earth, plucking it from a tree, cleaning it, and then cooking it.” Norberto’s mother and father made sure that he and his siblings not only witnessedtheir ability to transform home-grown produce into highly desirable dishes but that they learned how to do it themselves.Norberto’s career began as a teenager when he joined his brothers (all executive chefs themselves) to work in the hospitality industry in New Jersey. He later found himself working at La Cocina International Restaurant on St. Augustine Beach where he worked through the ranks to become a cook, then eventually purchased the restaurant, and mastered his chef skills.Norberto believes there are some specific keys that have led to his
becoming a successful chef and a great person.Norberto specializes in presenting Latin Cuisine with exquisite taste.