Many Florida restaurants have received nods from some pretty prestigious organizations.

At the same time, there’s a whole other culinary scene that’s equally popular—one that, sadly, will likely never be the radar of the prestigious Michelin Guide or James Beard Foundation. We’re talking about food served in convenience stores, gas stations and other mom-and-pop eateries. Maybe you’ve eaten some amazing food in these places. Maybe you’re even among the tens of thousands of people who follow our guest on social media.

Anthony Gilbert, better known online as Call Anthony, has garnered a cult-like following with his video reviews of Tampa Bay’s under-the-radar eateries. That standing-room-only barbecue joint? Anthony says it’s got the best smoked oxtails in town. The $5 chicken wings in the sketchy-looking corner store? There’s a reason why that place is always packed. If you’re feeling uneasy about going inside, Anthony will show you that there’s nothing to worry about.

Anthony grew up in the housing projects of East Tampa, and most of his reviews highlight food spots in underprivileged neighborhoods. But his fan base is wide-reaching, helping to bring a variety of customers to small, often Black-owned businesses.

Anthony stopped by the Zest studios at WUSF Public Media for a chat with Dalia Colón and Alexandria Ebron. In this conversation, he shares some of his favorite local eateries, why he believes his food reviews are resonating with the public and his plans to open a restaurant of his own. Warning: This conversation will make you hungry.

Is Florida's new signature scent... vanilla?

A few weeks ago here on the pod, Chef Justin Timineri of Fresh From Florida told us about some of his favorite trending agricultural products coming out of the Sunshine State. One in particular caught our attention: vanilla.

You can almost smell it, can’t you? That warm, sweet, comforting scent that reminds you of baking chocolate chip cookies or lighting your favorite candle.

Stephanie Webb knows the aroma all too well. As the founder and owner of Sunshine State Vanilla, she cultivates and sells vanilla plants grown on a farm on Pine Island in Lee County. She also has a line of vanilla-scented kitchen and bath products. 

Predominantly grown in Africa and South America, vanilla is starting to flourish here Florida, thanks to folks like Stephanie and her partners, which include local farmers and researchers.

The Zest team recently met up with Stephanie. In our conversation, she shares what led to her interest in vanilla, why the plant’s beans are so expensive and her favorite sweet and savory ways to cook with vanilla.

Stephanie also explains why Florida is a perfect place to grow vanilla plants—and to host the inaugural Florida Vanilla Symposium, which takes place this Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Fallen Oak Farms in Valrico. It’s open to the public.

Thanks to Kenya Woodard for suggesting this episode. If you’d like to suggest a Zest guest, email us at: [email protected]

Related episodes:

• Guac This Way: Sleepy Lizard Avocado Farm in the Everglades Specializes in Florida (Green) Avocados

• The Olive Grove Brings a Taste of Tuscany to Brooksville

• Conscious Cuisine: Rocky Soil Family Farm on How to Reconnect with Your Food

No fish story here.

If you eat seafood, then Chef Steve Phelps wants you to know something—like, actually know something—about what you’re consuming. That striped bass at the grocery store seafood counter—where did it come from? The tuna melt you ordered for lunch from your favorite diner—how was that fish caught?

Steve is co-owner and head chef of Indigenous. Since he opened the restaurant in 2011, it’s become one of the most sought-after dinner reservations in Sarasota, and Steve was a two-time semi-finalist for James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef South award.

He’s also stepped into a role as one of the area’s most vocal advocates for responsible seafood consumption. Dalia first met Steve during a screening of the PBS docuseries Hope in the Water, and she invited him on the podcast to do a deep dive (sorry, couldn’t resist!) about how restaurant goers and home cooks can enjoy seafood responsibly. In this conversation, Steve shares:

Related episodes:

• Conscious Cuisine: How to Choose Sustainable Seafood

• Spirit of the Panhandle: Distillery 98 in Santa Rosa Beach Makes Oyster-Filtered Vodka

• Awww… Shucks! “OysterMom” Deborah Keller on the Importance of Sustainable Aquaculture

Nice work, if you can get it.

Today we’re catching up with friend of the pod Justin Timineri. As executive chef for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s Fresh From Florida program, he is the state’s official culinary ambassador. Sounds like a sweet gig, right? It is. But as you’ll hear, it’s also a lot of work.

Dalia recently caught up with Chef Justin. In their conversation, he recalls his earliest food memories from his Tallahassee childhood, shares stories from his remarkable career that has included showcasing our state’s food all over the world and his favorite Florida food trends.

To learn more about Chef Justin Timineri, check out Dalia’s profile of him in the spring issue of FORUM, the magazine of Florida Humanities. 

Today we’re getting to know dietitian Deanna Wolfe. But she needs no introduction if you’re among her hundreds of thousands of social media followers.

On Instagram and TikTok, Deanna is an open book. She chronicles her journey recovering from an eating disorder, what she eats in a day as postpartum mom (including dessert every night!) and even her income, for the scores of other dietitians she mentors.

Dalia met Deanna at a USF Health event and couldn’t get enough of her common-sense nutrition advice. So she invited Deanna to our studio at WUSF to share her approach with you.

In this conversation, Deanna gives her take on trends like seed oil, green powders and Ozempic and offers guidance for anyone struggling with disordered eating. 

If you’re not already doing so, be sure to follow Dietitian Deanna on Instagram or Tiktok. She shares some great info and her posts are so relatable. She IS like us!

Related episodes:

• 7 Tips for Eating More at Home: Advice from Dietician/Nutritionist Wendy Wesley

• Eat Better, Feel Better: Simple Swaps from Carly Paige of FitLiving Eats

• Guac This Way: Sleepy Lizard Avocado Farm in the Everglades Specializes in Florida (Green) Avocados

• Brunch Advice from First Watch

By Dalia Colón

Spring is upon us, so it’s time to tackle all those projects we’ve been putting off. Maybe you need to organize the garage, file your taxes or flip your mattress. While you’re making that checklist, remember to prep for spring cooking—planting warm-weather vegetables, gearing up your grill and, yes, cleaning out the pantry.

But resetting for spring doesn’t have to be intimidating. Here to help is Mackensy Lunsford, editor of USA Today’s cooking website, Southern Kitchen. She’s also a chef, cookbook author and senior dining reporter at the Tennessean.

Mackensy recently chatted with Dalia from her home in Nashville. In this conversation, she shares advice for starting a spring garden, mitigating pests and planting vegetables that can withstand the South’s heat and humidity. She also offers tips for organizing your pantry, embarking on a new-spend month (or at least spending less) in order to use up the nonperishables you already have and making the most of your grill. Finally, Mackensy suggests meal ideas that’ll make all your hard work pay off.

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At Solid Rock Community School in Tarpon Springs, every item that comes out of the cafeteria is 100 percent plant-based. Families can even order vegan to-go meals to take home and eat for dinner. That puts Solid Rock in a pretty small group of K-12 schools in the U.S. that are completely plant-based. 

The idea for a plant-based cafeteria came from Solid Rock’s founder and executive director, Michele Fasnacht, who started the school in 2004. The K-12 private school also offers programs like gardening, culinary arts and veterinary education alongside academics.

The Zest team met up with Michele in the school office. In our conversation, she explains why she overhauled the school’s menu. In this episode, you’ll also hear from some Solid Rock students about what they think of the cafeteria food now. 

Thanks to Louise Krikorian for suggesting this episode. If you’d like to suggest a Zest guest, email us: [email protected]

Related episodes:

This week, we’re getting real about what we feed kids. Whether or not you have children of your own, we all have a role to play in helping the next generation make healthier choices.

Dr. David Berger isn’t here to shame anyone. But as a pediatrician and the face of Wholistic Pediatrics & Family Care in Tampa, he sees every day how nutrition—or lack thereof—affects kids’ health and behavior. 

Dalia visited Dr. David at his office in Tampa. In their conversation, he explains why kids and adults should steer clear of ultra-processed foods, reflects on why many school lunches are problematic and offers advice for getting back on track.

For more from Dr. David, check out his YouTube channel, DrDavidMD, where he addresses issues including fluoride in drinking water, the raw milk trend, the FDA’s banning of red dye No. 3 and more.

Related episodes:

Prof. William Schanbacher, Ph.D., breaks it down.

If you've ever dreamed of hosting a food TV show, being a private chef or working in a high-end restaurant, then this conversation is for you—because today's guest has done all of that, plus a lot more, in his young career.

Get to know Chef Terrell Manning. The St. Pete native has experience as a private chef, food TV host, restaurant co-owner, host of the roadshow America’s Best Restaurants and more.

The Zest team met up with Chef Terrell at the Sorry Not Public co-working space in Tampa. In this conversation, he offers lessons from his culinary journey in his book The Love Languages of Food.

Related episodes:

• Chef Hart Lowry Brings a World of Experience to Sarasota Restaurants

• Sarasota Magazine Food Writer Lauren Jackson’s Job Is Harder Than You Think

• Chef Kenny Gilbert on Southern Food, Teaching Kids to Barbecue and Cooking for Oprah