Husband. Father. Son. Co-author: "The Cuban Sandwich - A History In Layers." Host, "Tampa's Table" podcast. Storyteller for 1905 Family Of Restaurants.
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Articles by Jeff Houck
Sarasota exhibit by rock photographer Lynn Goldsmith closes this weekend
Jagger. Bowie. Tina. Prince. Springsteen. Madonna. Lynn Goldsmith had photographed them all during the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, making iconic images of superstars in full flower. But shooting the stars came with its own constellation of headaches. Handlers. Managers. Agents. Stylists. Assistants. They were rarely on time and they rarely had time to dedicate to Goldsmith’s meticulous lighting, framing and creative approach.
Patti Smith, Olivia Harrison, head to Sarasota for exhibit about George Harrison’s love of gardening
By Jeff Houck on Wed, Feb 5, 2025 at 2:36 pm He was “The Quiet Beatle,” the thoughtful, stoic one searching for spiritual peace while exploring beyond the boundaries of rock music with eastern philosophies and exotic instruments. What musician George Harrison longed for was a lost connection to nature, something which eluded him during the turbulent, noisy, confusing and melodramatic years he was in the world’s biggest band, The Beatles.
The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers
If you ask someone from Miami who is really into Cuban sandwiches where they originated they’re very likely to say, Miami, of course! Ask the same question to someone from Tampa and they’ll say, of course it’s Tampa! Over the decades there have even been claims made that what we consider to be the modern Cuban sandwich first showed up in Key West.
Cross Creek Cookery Celebrates 80 Years Of Recipes And History
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings; photo courtesy of Charles Scribner’s Sons Archives The letters of admiration came by the dozens, filling the oak-shaded mailbox of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. They arrived from everywhere the world curves—from Hawaii, from the Philippines, from Ireland and Egypt and Australia and beyond. In other words, everywhere the United States had men and women fighting in uniform in 1942 during the early days of World War II.
St. Petersburg Locals Are Excited To Welcome Ybor City Bakery-Café
Across the bay, residents eagerly anticipate the expansion of beloved Ybor City bakery, La Segunda.
Plant City’s St. Martin Farms is home to one of the ‘Great Farmer’s Markets Of Tampa Bay’
click to enlarge Jeff Houck The newest owners of The Market at St. Martin Farms on Redman Parkway in Plant City are working hard to turn it into a must-visit stop halfway between Lithia and Florida’s strawberry capital. My beautiful bride and I fell in love recently with The Market at St. Martin Farms.
Plant City’s St. Martin Farms is home to one of the ‘Great Farmer’s Markets Of Tampa Bay’
A new column will explore the best Tampa Bay has to offer. Oct 11, 2021 3 PM Tweet Share The newest owners of The Market at St. Martin Farms on Redman Parkway in Plant City are working hard to turn it into a must-visit stop halfway between Lithia and Florida’s strawberry capital.Jeff Houck My beautiful bride and I fell in love recently with The Market at St. Martin Farms.
Food Critic Chris Sherman Steps Down From Golden Spoon Awards
Editor’s note: We’re just now starting to feel the tremors, but the Florida food scene is set for a seismic disruption: Chris Sherman is stepping down from his role producing the state’s Golden Spoon Awards for Florida Trend magazine. The oldest and most coveted dining awards in the state have been under his direction for the past 14 years, and as we go to press, Florida Trend Executive Editor Mark R. Howard says the future of the Golden Spoons is undecided.
Ability of Patient-Reported Outcomes to Characterize Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) After Attending a Primary Care Physical Therapist and Medical Doctor Collaborative Service: A Cross-Sectional Study
Highlights • A set of Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scales and a global rating of normal function (GRNF) were associated with patient status (patient acceptable symptom state [PASS]) in musculoskeletal patients seen in primary care. • Self-efficacy of managing symptoms was equally associated with patient status as other health domains typically associated with musculoskeletal problems (ie, physical function, pain interference).
Exploring Tampa's Convenience Stores; Becoming A Food Influencer | The Zest
Exploring Tampa's Convenience Stores; Becoming A Food Influencer Episode Summary This week, we're singing the praises of the neighborhood convenience store -- your go-to stop whether you need a beanie OR a hard boiled egg! Plus, we've got some advice for aspiring food influencers! Episode Notes Jeff Houck is a former newspaper reporter and food writer at the old Tampa Tribune, and is now the marketing and public relations director for Columbia Restaurant Group in Tampa.
Exploring Tampa's Convenience Stores; Becoming A Food Influencer
Exploring Tampa's Convenience Stores; Becoming A Food Influencer Episode Summary This week, we're singing the praises of the neighborhood convenience store -- your go-to stop whether you need a beanie OR a hard boiled egg! Plus, we've got some advice for aspiring food influencers! Episode Notes Jeff Houck is a former newspaper reporter and food writer at the old Tampa Tribune, and is now the marketing and public relations director for Columbia Restaurant Group in Tampa.
A tribute to the late Duke Maas, a no-nonsense, smart problem-solver with endless heart and a nose for news
By Jeff Houck I was an assistant features editor at the Tampa Tribune in 2005 under managing editor Duke Maas when changes were made to the food section. I edited the section, so it was up to me to find a writer. We searched, interviewed, but didn’t really settle on one candidate. I reported this to Duke. “Why don’t you do it?” he said. I didn’t want to do it. I wanted to be an editor. I wanted to stay on an editing track. I had been a bureau chief, a city editor and a features editor.
A tribute to Duke Maas, a no-nonsense, smart problem-solver with endless heart and a nose for news
By Jeff Houck I was an assistant features editor at the Tampa Tribune in 2005 under managing editor Duke Maas when changes were made to the food section. I edited the section, so it was up to me to find a writer. We searched, interviewed, but didn’t really settle on one candidate. I reported this to Duke. “Why don’t you do it?” he said. I didn’t want to do it. I wanted to be an editor. I wanted to stay on an editing track. I had been a bureau chief, a city editor and a features editor.
The Sip: Mixing candy and alcohol is a sweet idea
The news recently that Jelly Belly has released a Draft Beer flavor jelly bean ran through my newsroom like ... beer through a newsroom. Development of the draft beer flavor took three years, Jelly Belly communications director Tomi Holt told USA Today. Jelly Belly already makes candy using other alcoholic drink inspirations, from Mai Tai to pi?a colada. All flavors inspired by alcoholic drinks are marketed to adults, Holt said. Jelly Belly suggests recipes for jelly bean cocktails in your mouth.
'Foodie Mayor' Buckhorn says bars, eateries mean jobs, allure
Nervous whispers spread through Kahwa Coffee on Henderson Boulevard as Bob Buckhorn approaches the glass-door entrance with his official entourage. Owners Raphael and Sarah Perrier scurry to prepare the handful of staff members at the grand opening of the stylish coffee hangout. TV pitchman Anthony Sullivan is here, too, for star-power oomph. Buckhorn, dressed in a shiny silver suit, poses for photos with the group and says a few nice words about the Tampa coffee company's growth.
Restaurants, hotels look up vertical farming for fresh food
The north wall inside The Roosevelt 2.0 in Ybor City once was a blank canvas of old, exposed bricks covered with a thin veil of white paint. Dangling like a frozen green waterfall, stems of rainbow char, Genovese basil, cilantro, arugula and Italian parsley hang vertically from what amounts to a living wall, nourished by snaking lines of an irrigation system and panels of artificial lighting.
Crab enchilado is good eats, Tampa style
Helen Mitchell of Tampa called to ask for a crab enchilado recipe. “I’ll take Michelle Faedo’s recipe, if she’ll part with it,” Helen said. Earlier this month, Michelle cooked a giant batch of enchilado — also known as crab chilau — for the inaugural Tampa Crab Enchilado Feast at the Tampa Cruis-a-Cade Club. Some of the proceeds benefited Trinity Cafe, which provides meals for the homeless. “What makes it good is we make it all with fresh tomatoes, garlic and crab.
The 21 Best Restaurants in Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, & Bradenton
In an area where residents argue on Facebook about which Red Lobster offers a better dining experience, it’s kinda surprising that Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Bradenton, Sarasota and, yes, Lakeland(!) are actually carving out a collective culinary identity worthy of attention. Don’t believe it? Well, with a nod to the past and a look to the future, we’ve put together a list of the 21 essential restaurants in Tampa Bay that proves it.
Tampa Theatre seeks help to purchase new popcorn popper
To keep that from happening, and to maybe prevent a historic building from burning down, the non-profit Tampa Theatre announced Thursday a crowd-funding effort to raise $10,000 to replace the current popper, which is more than 15 years old and in need of repair. The theater said a fire from a malfunctioning oil pump cost $2,000 in repairs. “When the popcorn machine catches on fire, it's time to get a new popper,” theater spokeswoman Jill Revelle Witecki said in a press release.
Ulele, a restaurant for the next century
Restaurateur Richard Gonzmart was born three blocks away from the Tampa Water Works, which he has transformed into the much-anticipated Ulele. JASON BEHNKEN/STAFF
Terra Ceia yields Hollywood talent
For Dori Sperko, becoming an independent film producer in Hollywood wasn’t that big of a jump from running her family’s Bradenton-based employee management company. “But instead of 14,000 employees for over 1,000 companies, we were managing the payroll and benefits and workers’ comp for 70 or 80 on a movie crew,” Sperko said. “The accounting is done the same way.
Dunedin blogger serves up monetizing hints at conference
In July 2011, Isabel Laessig wrote her first blog post. In it, she told an emotional story about her daughter Alexandra being the first child to leave for college and how she would miss making her breakfast. “It was a silly little story about pancakes,” Laessig said. “How exciting.” Three years later, Laessig is now a blogging force at FamilyFoodie.com, having established her Sunday Supper weekly event for which food bloggers gather online around the table to share recipes and stories.
Restaurants have fallen hard for soft openings
“Soft opening. Grand opening. When they opened The Flamingo, one day it was closed, the next it was open. End of story. I know, I was there.” Curtis Beebe held a preview recently his new Local Public House & Provisions restaurant and pub a block away from the towering white water tank in San Antonio, Fla. It was more of an easygoing, nibble-and-sip get-together than a full-blown restaurant coming-out extravaganza. This was in San Ann, after all.
Bonefish partners reunite for new St. Pete eatery
— John Mays and T.J. Thielbar get the same jolt of excitement from building their new Noble Crust restaurant on Fourth Street as they felt while they were helping build the first Bonefish Grill restaurant on the same road 14 years ago. In 2000, both were joint venture partners and operations managers for Bonefish, which eventually grew into a chain sold to Bloomin’ Brands, parent company to Outback Steakhouse.
Taking a delicious side trip on the Taco Trail
The first time I walked into Acapulco Mexican Grocery on North MacDill Avenue, I felt as if I had stumbled into a Hispanic version of the book “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.” In the C.S. Lewis fantasy, curious children crawl through the back of a large piece of furniture to discover a magical land.
SideBern’s to close during major renovation
— Now that the Epicurean Hotel is open and the Elevage restaurant, Edge Social Drinkery and Chocolate Pi patisserie are serving customers, the owner of Bern’s Steak House announced Monday that sister restaurant SideBern’s will get a major makeover. David Laxer said the changes at the 18-year-old South Howard Avenue restaurant were long planned following Bern’s Fine Wine & Spirits’ relocation south to the Epicurean from SideBern’s.
Gonzmart sets July 14 opening for Ulele restaurant
— The Ulele restaurant under construction at the former Tampa Water Works in Tampa Heights will open July 14, owner Richard Gonzmart announced on his personal Facebook page Thursday. Gonzmart also announced that the restaurant would be open for a breakfast sneak preview on June 15, after his Father’s Day Walk to benefit prostate cancer research. The restaurant has been in development for more than two years.
New faves join old at Olive Garden
— It’s a classic restaurant dilemma: How to refresh a menu when customers already fill the seats in search of iconic dishes? For Orlando-based Darden Restaurants Inc., the challenge was how to adapt its Olive Garden concept to the changing dining landscape while not messing with such staples as the popular soup, salad and breadsticks combination that attracts droves of cost-conscious customers.
Glamor on display at Bollywood Oscars
If it already had not been busy hosting the 15th Annual International Indian Film Academy Weekend and Awards, Tampa's audition in the international movie spotlight would have made great fodder for a Bollywood musical. The awards show held Saturday night inside Raymond James Stadium in front of an estimated audience of 25,000 was full of the glitz promised for weeks leading up to the four-day extravaganza.
Florida wildlife panel may declare open season on lionfish Wednesday
ST. PETE BEACH — They’re wonderfully delicious, with a light, clean, natural flavor that almost tastes buttery. That’s the main reason why lionfish will appear occasionally on the menu when the new RumFish Bar & Grill opens in May at the Guy Harvey Outpost resort in St. Pete Beach. “The filets are beautiful,” Harvey said during a recent construction tour.
Savory names are recipes for restaurant success
Cigar City founder Joey Redner wanted to pay tribute to Tampa’s cigar factory heyday when he named the business. Each variety of beer also includes Tampa references. Edison Food + Drink Lab in Tampa was the result of a long list of names. Ultimately chef Jeannie Pierola and brand operations manager Melissa Judge settled on the name because of the proximity of the Kennedy Boulevard restaurant to the cross street of Edison Avenue.
Prepping For Elevage
Chad Johnson, executive chef at SideBern's and the Epicurean Hotel, preps his staff for his Elevage pop- up sneak preview this week.
Pouring Ulele's Foundation
Crew pours cement foundation for the refurbishment of the historic Tampa Water Works building in Tampa Heights. A new restaurant called Ulele will open in the space serving food native to the area's heritage.
Rustenberg Wine Dinner at Red Door Wine Market
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Weekend Eats - Sept. 9, 2013
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Halfway There - A Rare Beer Festival
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Weekend Eats - Aug. 26, 2013
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Weekend Eats - July 29, 2013
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The Taco Bus, St Pete, Fl
Crackly tortillas, saucy seafood, squeeze of lime, sip of cerveza. Like a rainbow in my mouth.
The Corner Store - Pimento Cheese Spread - Foodspotting
Served with pita chips. Adore this spicy, spreadable batch of love.
First Choice BBQ - Rib Dinner - Foodspotting
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Maritana Grille - Lobster Sous Vide With Basil Pasta And Polenta - Foodspotting
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The Spot Bar And Grill
Find & share great dishes, not just restaurants. Find whatever you're craving, see what's good at any restaurant and learn what foodspotters, friends and experts love wherever you go. Share great dishes using our apps or by tagging food photos #foodspotting on Instagram
The Spot Bar And Grill
Find & share great dishes, not just restaurants. Find whatever you're craving, see what's good at any restaurant and learn what foodspotters, friends and experts love wherever you go. Share great dishes using our apps or by tagging food photos #foodspotting on Instagram
Ted Peter's Famous Smoked Fish
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