Condé Nast's Bon Appétit: Chef Greg Baker : Avocado Salad with Peaches Recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/2 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 almost-ripe avocados
• 8 cups arugula or sorrel
• 2 peaches, diced and peeled

Preparation

• Roast bell pepper. Peel and chop pepper; purée with red wine vinegar, vanilla, and sugar in a blender until smooth.
• With machine running, gradually add olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Halve and pit avocados and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and place cut side sown on a medium-hot grill until nicely charred, about 5 minutes. Peel and thickly slice.
• Toss with arugula or sorrel and peaches. Drizzle dressing over.
  Original Story Here: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/08/avocado-salad-with-peaches

The "Local Dirt" Restaurant Mag Feature

The Refinery & a feature interview with Chef Greg Baker was recently featured in Local Dirt Magazine, a sustainable and local-food-movement magazine based in the Bay Area of Florida. 

To read an online PDF of this magazine issue, check it out Here: Local Dirt Magazine  (note- this is a large print ready PDF file so it may take a bit to load!) 

Forbes Magazine: Where to Eat during Spring Training in Florida

Forbes Magazine has given a nice write up to a guide of must do and see and stay for Spring Training in Florida. We are honored to be suggested as a place to sample excellent cuisine! 

Where to Eat: 

Nominated as Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation in 2011, The Refinery has Tampa-area residents and visitors clamoring for its seasonal farm-to-table cuisine (even star chef Mario Batali has dined here). The menu changes every Thursday night to reflect what’s fresh from the market, and includes innovative dishes such as grilled sweet chile calamari and pork stew.

Read the entire original article here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/03/07/a-weekend-guide-to-spring-training-in-florida/2/

the Washington Post: Chef Mario Batali Just Wants to Hang Out (In Tampa at the Refinery?)

A few days ago we were very honored and surprised when Chef Mario Batali stopped by to hang out at the Refinery after his book signing in Tampa. What transpired was a good time with libations that went into the next morning on the Refinery rooftop. Chef Batali was generous with advice, and was as nice of a fellow as you would want. We had a great time. 

Luckily, Chef Batali's chauffer for the evening was Tampa Resident and Grillmaster Jim Webster who captured some of the event for his blog over at the Washington Post. 

It was nearly midnight on Friday, Feb. 24, when the kitchen crew at The Refinery, got word that Batali was on his way for some snacks after a book signing and cooking demonstration.

Greg Baker, the chef/co-owner who was just named a semifinalist for Best Chef: South by the James Beard Foundation, started reviewing with his crew what they would serve. But as he delivered the first dish, the terrine — served with a wasabi-yuzu-apple mostarda that particularly got Batali’s attention — he was surprised to learn what the celebrity chef really wanted.

“This all looks delicious, but we really want to hang out with the chef,” Batali told Baker.

Taken aback, Baker went back to the kitchen, told his staff to finish up their dishes and come upstairs to join the party.

So once the Apalachicola oysters with wakame and apple and the grilled calamari with sizzling sesame vinaigrette were on the table, what followed was three solid hours of direct access to one of the biggest names in food.

Chef Batali:  “The Gulf Coast has the potential to create a culinary raw ingredient paradise that smart cooks can capitalize on,” Batali said. “The Refinery is onto that. I dug their mindset and their fearless approach to deliciousness.”

read Jim's full blog entry here: 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/the-lamb-brains-are-nice-but-batali-just-wants-to-hang-out/2012/02/29/gIQAyT3pkR_blog.html

James Beard Foundation: Semifinalist for Best Chef / South - Greg Baker of the Refinery

The Semifinalists were just announced from the James Beard Foundation, and we are extremely excited, and very thankful that they have considered the Refinery's own Chef Greg Baker as a Semifinalist for the BEST CHEF / SOUTH category. 

Also nominated is the very talented Chad Johnson of Sideberns. 

As always thank you for your support, and patronage to independent local businesses. 

For the complete list of semifinalists click here: James Beard SemiFinalists 2012