St. Petersburg • Clearwater 2009 - (Page 33) :IN THE KITCHEN Chef Tom Prichard Chef Craig Chapman Chef John Harris Tom Prichard Executive Chef at Salt Rock Grill, Indian Rocks Beach You may spot the jovial, shaggy-bearded chef in colorful drawstring pants and white chef’s apron chatting with diners at the celebrated Salt Rock Grill he helped to create on Indian Rocks Beach, but never for long. The kitchen is Tom Prichard’s domain. He has been a local culinary leader since settling here 19 years ago after an extensive kitchen career at fine restaurants all over the U.S. and in Europe (including his own Tom’s A Raconteur in Mallorca, Spain). But forget his impressive resume. One taste of a steak marinated in his chimichurri sauce says it all. Also look for his influence on menus at the Island Way Grill and Rumba in Clearwater and at Marlin Darlin’ in Belleair Bluffs. Craig Chapman Chef/owner at Grillside Central and Chappy’s Creole Soul, St. Petersburg Southern chef Craig Chapman has two requirements in his kitchen: Everything must be fresh and made from scratch. You can taste this wisdom in the signature shrimp and grits at his Grillside Central restaurant. Chapman has been in the area for decades, but he now brings his talent and expertise to the downtown St. Petersburg restaurant scene. He was the executive chef for Bonefish Grill and Hops Restaurant & Brewery chains for more than 23 years. Self-taught and the son of a chef, Chapman first learned French cuisine, which is reflected in the sauces of his second St. Petersburg restaurant, Chappy’s Creole Soul. John Harris Executive Chef at Rusty’s Bistro inside Sheraton Sand Key Resort Flavorful soups are some of Chef John Harris’ favorite creations, and when you sample one of them at Rusty’s Bistro, you can taste the passion he brings to the kitchen. He's also known for his expertise with fish, as shown in the sea bass with orange, fennel, leeks and lentils dish below. A master of Floribbean cuisine (a mix of Florida and Caribbean flavors), Harris regularly cooks with bold spices, local citrus flavors and seafood at the resort where he has been executive chef for 19 years. Before that, he trained with famed chef Bernhard Gotz in Germany while indulging in another of his passions, snow skiing. Go! Salt Rock Grill, 727-593-6725, www.saltrockgrill.com Go! Grillside Central, 727-820-9200; Chappy’s Creole Soul, 727-896-5118 Go! Rusty’s Bistro, 727-595-1611, www.sheratonsandkey.com ~LW Sashimi appetizer, Salt Rock Grill. Veal LaFitte, Chappy’s Creole Soul. Sea bass at Rusty’s Bistro. www.VisitStPeteClearwater.com 33 http://www.saltrockgrill.com http://www.sheratonsandkey.com http://www.VisitStPeteClearwater.com
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