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Photos by Angel Callahan, Capturing Creative

Top Local Chef featured on WTSP 10 News and on the front page of the local paper! ​

The competition was intense, but at the end Chefs Joseph & Le'Ann Jackson,  Le’Anns Cheesecakes ‘N More in Tampa, received the most points overall for their orange-infused cheesecake in a jar, winning the 2016 Top Local Chef title, the coveted Top Local Chef Cutting Board and major bragging rights.The event, which took place in front of a packed crowd on April 24, 2016, at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom, was emceed by journalist Noah Pransky,  WTSP 10 News. The competing chefs were asked to incorporate Florida valencia oranges into their dishes.
 
In addition to the Top Local Chef title, there were People's Choice and Judges' Vote winners in savory and sweets categoris:
  
In the sweets category, Chef John Riesebeck, Smokin’ J’s Real Texas BBQ in Gulfport impressed the crowd, winning the popular vote for savory dish with his smoked Pork tenderloin with jalapeño and pepper jack cheese and wrapped in bacon, topped with a Valencia orange glaze. The judges vote in the savory category went to Chef Olive Davis. Stella's Restaurant in Gulfport, whose Florida Citrus Cured White Tuna included a guava-orange-tamarind glaze and was garnished With wasabi leaves and spring watermelon radish-microgreen salsa.
 
In the sweets category, Le'Ann's Cheesecakes 'N More received the popular vote while St. Petersburg-based Chef Michelle Garner, OobAlaMode Pastries, captured the judges' taste buds with its orange-scented chocolate tart, accompanied by orange-infused panna cotta and coconut cake, with orange rum butter sauce, and almond corn flake crunch.
2016 Competing Chefs
  • Chefs Jill & Maria Johnson, Mangia Gourmet

  • Chef John Riesebeck, Smokin’ J’s Real Texas BBQ
     
  • Chefs Joseph & Le'Ann Jackson,  Le’Anns Cheesecakes ‘N More 

  • Chef Michelle Garner, OobAlaMode Pastries 

  • Chef Olive Davis, Stella's Restaurant 

  • Chef Ramon Hernandez,
    Pipo’s To Go Catering & Pipo’s Cuban Cafe


  • Chef Sean Ford, Tryst

  • Chefs Shane Ibey and  Cassandra Grawien,
    Tastes of Tampa Bay/Street Surfer Food Truck


  • Chef Timothy Fling, Beach Bar | Restaurant

2016 Judges
  • Isabel Laesig, founder, 
    Family Foodie and Sunday Supper Movement
  • Janet Keeler,
     visiting professor at USF St Petersburg
  • Kanika Tomalin,
    ​deputy mayor, City of St Petersburg
  • Ross Clingman, sous chef at Ritz Carlton, Sarasota, and 2015 Top Local Chef winner 
 
2016 Vendors
  • Beach Bar | Restaurant
  • CakeTastic
  • Cutco At Home Rep Michelle Linden 
  • Intensity Academy Gourmet Sauces 
  • Just Grillin
  • Lola’s Handcrafted
  • Out of the Weeds artisan dressings
  • Pinellas Chocolate Company
  • Red Hot Tiki Spicy Gourmet Market
  • Takeout Button
  • Wild Boy Sauce
  • Wine Me
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Le'Anns Cheesecakes 'N More
Mangia Gourmet
Oob ala Mode
Pipo's Cuban Cafe
Smokin' J's
Stella's Restaurant
Tastes of Tampa Bay/Street Surfer Food Truck
Tryst


​Sponsors + Partners

Gulfport Area Chamber of Commerce
Intensity Academy Gourmet Sauces
Red Hot Tiki Spicy Gourmet Market
Beach Bar | Restaurant       The-Caterer        CASA

Manhattan Casino

The Low-Down on Top Local Chef!

When:     5-7:30 pm Sunday, Oct 20, 2019
Where:    Historic Manhattan Casino
                   642 22nd St S, St Petersburg

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