Credit: Caesar A Carbajal
On Thursday night, a drove of people lined up outside The Vault, wrapping around the prestigious building that once served as the Exchange National Bank to embark on the culinary odyssey that is Tampa Bay’s annual Meet The Chefs event. This year, 14 chefs thoughtfully crafted bites for the mini food crawl that absolutely crushed.
Mike Morales from Sunda was stationed first up front, greeting gastro-enthusiasts with springy glass noodles and fried tofu, followed nearby by Timpano’s Nelly Buleje who fluffed white truffle mornay pasta with roasted mushrooms, pancetta, and asparagus from a gigantic carved bowl of parmesan.
SEE IMAGES FROM THE PHOTO BOOTH HERE.
A bit down the way, the tour continued as guests bit into thick cuban sandwiches with hot melted swiss cheese prepped by District South’s Cody Tiner. Then there were the fresh, handmade blue corn tortillas, of course, topped with seared steak and cilantro crema from Taylor Dillon at Con Amor. And possibly the most memorable pintxo of the evening? A bite of fresh local shrimp with Mexican chili crisp and sala bruja conjured up by Felicia LeCalle from Quiote Tequiliria (breathing new life into the spot where Ciro’s once lived).
The Vault’s second-story balcony served as a welcome reprieve from the hustle and dash below, allowing folks to catch a breather, mingle, sip margs from Herradura, and people watch with a bird’s-eye view as more continued to pour through the doors for the one-night only opportunity to taste small bites from the city’s many greats.
Photos by Caesar A Carbajal
Credit: Caesar A Carbajal
Credit: Caesar A Carbajal
This article appears in June 25 – July 01, 2026.
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