In The Press

Are you making plans for the holiday? Check out this list.

BLOOM (TAMPA) – During the holiday season, food becomes more than something we eat — it becomes a language of love, memory, and tradition. Emmy Award–winning restaurateur Billy Dec joined Gayle Guyardo, host of the globally syndicated health and wellness show Bloom, to share how his award-winning documentary Food Roots reminds us of the powerful connection between food, family, and cultural identity.

Food is a universal love. Luckily, Tampa Bay has long been a hub for incredible food of every variety, offering everything from the perfect slice of pizza to colorful sushi rolls to desserts so mesmerizing you keep coming back for more. In September, we asked our readers to vote for their favorite Tampa Bay restaurants across 35 categories. The votes poured in, down below we reveal the winners, runners-up, and other standout establishments in each category. Whether you’re in search of a new favorite pub or the best burger around, let the 2026 Best Restaurants List be your guide to the best bites in the Bay.

To inspire you to elevate your Thanksgiving celebration with creative dishes that go way beyond the traditional spread, here are 30 Thanksgiving recipes from celebrity chefs, award-winning restaurateurs, and top culinary experts (including Andrew Zimmern, Brooke Williamson, Jacques Torres, Michael Symon, Robert Irvine, and more). To make it a real party this year, Thanksgiving just got a whole lot more fun, because legendary entertainer-turned-chef Snoop Dogg is sharing one of his festive favorites with us too – Snooperdoodles! Whether you’re on turkey duty or you’re responsible for whipping up the sides, these gourmet Thanksgiving recipes will surely have your guests craving more.

Scallops may look alike at the counter, but the labels on them can tell a very different story. The real differences start before the scallop even hits the pan. To better understand different types of scallops, we tapped the expertise of culinary director and chef Michael Morales at Sunda New Asian; Maricel Gentile, chef at Maricel's Kitchen and ambassador chef of K-Seafood; Will Plamondon, director of wholesale operations at The Fish Guy; chef David Seigal, vice president and culinary director of Lobster Place at Chelsea Market; "Iron Chef" alum Franklin Becker, who owns Point Seven; and chef Aaron Cuschieri at The Dearborn.  Once you understand how a scallop reaches the dock, the differences shift to the type itself. Here, we'll break down eight distinct kinds of scallops and how their size, sweetness, and texture differ from one another.

Preparing the annual Thanksgiving feast never seems to go off without a hitch. Every year, either the turkey is dry, the stuffing is mushy, or the gravy has gone cold. When it comes to holiday cooking, the right tools can make the difference between chaos and calm. Professional chefs know that the feast’s success comes down to smart preparation, and a few underrated kitchen products can ensure the holiday meal runs smoothly. We asked chefs to share the unexpected kitchen tools they rely on to prep Thanksgiving dishes, and their picks go far beyond the basic roasting pans and carving knives.