“I feel like St. Petersburg wasn’t really paid attention to much in the past. A lot of the restaurants didn’t really have to try too hard to be busy because of the location,” explains chef Nick Ocando, the culinary director of three distinct restaurants in the tourist destination. “That’s kind of shifted now, the pressure for the culinary scene to kind of elevate their game is on.”
Ocando starts his day at Allelo, the Mediterranean and Aegan restaurant where he is also the executive chef. He oversees prep for an array of dishes, including homemade pasta for radiatori with lamb bolognese and a honey-thyme cappelletti that is delicately placed on a rich pappa al pomodoro soup. He also preps an octopus and watermelon shared plate, in which both ingredients are broken down and compressed in vacuum-sealed bags with peppers, lemons, and other aromatics that will instill flavor into the finished dish.
After hopping on his golf cart, Ocando begins the rounds at his other restaurants. He checks in at his New American concept June & The Peacock, where executive chef Drew Dimitrovski is starting lunch service. The bustling restaurant, which opened early last year, churns out 2,400 plates on any given day. Dimitrovski mixes up crab, smoked salmon, and lobster salads for a seafood tower with fresh oysters and shrimp, showcasing the oceanside town’s outstanding seafood. Mise en place preparations begin for Ocando’s third concept, Pluma Lounge, which serves up Central American dishes and cocktails. One of the “top sellers” on the menu, huitlacoche empanadas, are built with freshly pressed purple corn masa and filled with the corn fungus, corn, cilantro, onion, and mozzarella…