Chef Frank Imbarlina & Chef Mellissa Louty Open Up Their Hearts About Their Passion
Mellissa and Frank
About " Two Chefs on Hill View” brand.
Two Chefs On Hillview is a multi-concept F&B business. We offer full service catering as well as charcuterie boards made with homemade charcuterie, baked goods, smoked fish & seafood and other boards all made with homemade products. We also offer contract services providing businesses like bars that want to offer food, but don’t have the means as in the case of Block 15 Cork & Craft on Main St., corporations, yachts etc.
We were unfortunately and unjustly forced out of our lease on Hillview Street which housed our kitchen and our Specialty Foods Shop and we’re aggressively looking for a new location for that.
Where did the spark come from?
We both started out in the business over 20 years ago in major American culinary markets like NYC, Miami, Philadelphia, and Atlanta because of our love of food and the industry.
"The spark to do what we are doing here in Sarasota came from the lack of any locally made specialty foods or shops like ours and the desperate need for a caterer offering food and service at the level that we do."
Your thoughts on Sarasota food scene?
We think Sarasota’s food scene is okay, but a little ahead of itself and has a way to go before becoming a relevant culinary town.
"We would like to see restaurants, caterers etc. concern themselves less with hype and more with quality of product, execution of dishes and service."
But for a town of its size there are definitely a lot of options, and it can definitely grow. The question is whether or not it grows with quality or with concepts that are not fully thought out or focus on quality.
Is Sarasota a place to start a hospitality business?
We would caution restaurateurs or aspiring restaurateurs to wait a bit and let everything catch up to itself here. Because of this boom commercial rents have blown way out of control and to the point that it is almost impossible to turn a decent profit, particularly with the other challenges facing the industry right now. Landlords need to realize that the turnover is going to hurt them, and Sarasota more than high rents will help them.
"We think that right now Sarasota is a little over saturated and there are more F&B establishments than there are people to support them."
This is a problem that has happened in too many small cities across the U.S. that experience this type of “boom” and it is only going to slow down and possibly kill the relevance of the F&B industry here.
What are some of the challenges this industry currently?
In Sarasota it is the cost of rent for businesses. No small businesses can truly be viable with the rents being charged right now. If it continues this course Sarasota will be nothing but corporate chains and their independent food & beverage scene will disappear.
What are your goals for 2024?
Our goal for 2024 is to find a new location for our Specialty Foods Shop. But also, to continue to grow our catering, boards and contract services.
About Two Chefs on Hill View
Website: twochefsonhillview.com
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