SALTBLOCK CATERING
Since emerging onto Tampa Bay’s catering
scene three years ago, SaltBlock Hospitality
Group has become well known for its
creative cuisine, stunning presentations and
polished service.
It’s been quite an accomplishment for
two University of Central Florida business
graduates who collaborated on throwing
over-the-top food events for friends while
in college. After embarking on careers in
��nance, they quickly reali��ed that crunching
numbers was not their calling and turned
their attention back to making great food.
“We wanted to make a run at what we
both loved doing,” recalled Scott Roberts,
who co-founded the company with Ryan
Conigliaro. Both partners had worked
in various aspects of the food industry
throughout their lives, gaining experience
on-the-job rather than in a classroom.
Today, the catering ��rm speciali��es in using
seasonal ingredients, sourcing products
locally and creating custom menus. Their
typical venues range from cocktail parties
with craft bar services to contemporary
weddings. In the spirit of the holiday season,
SaltBlock even offers a new catering feature
that prepares multi-course meals for groups
of ten or more—perfect for hosting friends
and family during those special annual
festivities.
Contact: Scott Founders, Roberts
and Ryan Conigliaro, Executive
Chef Daniel Miller, (877) 793-7526,
SaltBlockHospitality.com
Cozymeal,
Tampa
COZYMEAL
New to the Tampa Bay area (just in time
for the holidays��, Co��ymeal provides
cooking classes, team building events
and catering services featuring local food
professionals.
According to CEO and founder Samad
Nasserian, Co��ymeal works with “a large
number of award-winning professional
chefs, some with Michelin star restaurant
experience." The site allows guests to easily
peruse a variety of chefs, menu offerings,
price points and venue types to ��nd the
perfect cooking class or dining experience.
Clients choose whether they want
chefs to lead a cooking class, conduct a
collaborative cooking effort or seamlessly
create, plate and serve a meal. Featured
chefs and caterers may also customi��e
culinary experiences by location; they can
host events at a client’s favorite venue,
the restaurant of a participating chef,
corporate of��ces or from the comfort of
a private home.
Contact: Various chefs, (800) 369-0157,
CozyMeal.com
CURATIVE EATS
Take a break from traditional cocktails and
canapés and help your guests get to know
one another while they have a hand in
preparing the evening’s meal.
Chef Jordan Hoeffner Boyd, founder and
owner of Curative Eats, creates a custom
menu that guests can replicate on their
own after perfecting their skills under her
tutelage in a home or corporate setting.
With a culinary career that encompasses
formal training and experience with multiunit
restaurant groups in Tampa and Denver,
Boyd is equally at ease mixing and mingling
with guests as she mixes ingredients
together to make a fabulous meal.
Last year, Hoeffner started offering house
parties that accommodate one to two
do��en people who work together in small
groups and create dishes from a multicourse
menu.
“They have to create the entire dish and
plate it,” she said. “I serve it to them and the
party gets started.” While overseeing the
food preparation, she offers tips on knife
skills, talks about featured ingredients and
even delves into the history of select dishes.
“There’s no standing around. It’s fun to
watch the dynamics, especially if it’s in a
corporate setting at a business or for a
fun holiday event. It’s even better when
the guests don’t know what they are
getting into.”
Contact: Chef Jordan Hoeffner Boyd,
(813) 205-5155, CurativEats.com
FEEDING THE SENSES
With Feeding the Senses, Maurice Evans
offers healthy options that enable you to
entertain with ease. Feeding the Senses
can handle meal planning and grocery
shopping that favors local and organic
foods, helping anyone stuck in a dining rut
get back to a better way of eating.
A classically trained chef, Maurice is happy
to come to your home and provide an
Eat & Greet personal consultation. Chef
coaching enables everyone to take his or
her food game to that next level. Or, if
you’re feeling fancy, free yourself to have a
catered event that allows to you feel like a
guest in your own home.
How about a holiday activity that lets
children ��ex their cooking muscles and
provides them with the tools it takes to
make great meals? An hour-long Chef Kids
class features fresh ingredients used to
make meals that appeal to all ages.
Contact: (813) 444-3754,
FeedingTheSenses.com
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