Today, we’re getting dinner inspiration from Johnathan Rodriguez. He’s the executive chef and food and beverage director for the dual-branded Aloft and Element Hotel in Tampa’s Midtown shopping and dining district.

Dalia met up with Chef Johnathan at Sal y Mar, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant and bar. In this conversation, he shares advice for coming up with new dinner ideas, how growing up in New York with an Italian mother and Puerto Rican father influenced his palate and his experience cooking for a certain famous family.

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