These are exciting times for eating out in Tampa Bay. Our cuisine is getting better and more varied and starting to draw national attention. Florida Matters hosted a taping in front of a live audience earlier this year at the St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs at USF St. Petersburg. The topic: Tampa Bay as an international dining destination. 

Florida Matters host Robin Sussingham sat down with Laura Reiley, former restaurant critic with the Tampa Bay Times, who recently started a new position with the Washington Post; Janet Keeler, journalism instructor at USF St. Petersburg and former Tampa Bay Times food editor; and Emmanuel Roux, owner of Gateau O'Chocolat Bakery and the 15th Street Agri-hood/Eco Village, an organic, educational farm in downtown St. Petersburg. Roux has owned several restaurants in the Tampa Bay Area over the years.