Florence & the Spice Boys began as a roving kitchen in 2019, its bold, spice-driven identity shaped by Steven Schmitt’s culinary epiphanies in Tel Aviv and environs. What started as a food truck evolved into a restaurant rooted in Middle Eastern fusion flavors, with global influences woven throughout the menu. Founded by Steven Schmitt, Florence Schmitt and Carl Kolber, they opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Sarasota’s The Landings in 2022. The concept found its next chapter in 2023 when Collin Blakeman, who worked under Michelin-star chef Thomas Keller at The French Laundry in Napa Valley, joined as a partner during plans for expansion at UTC. Today, with locations at UTC and The Landings, the kitchen continues to evolve, balancing vibrant, spice-forward dishes with a refined culinary sensibility. Blakeman recently shared a few spicy stories about the restaurant’s origins, flavors and ambitions.
The story behind our name is …
The original food truck was just the Spice Boys, because it was just Steven and Carl. But Steven’s wife, Florence, had such a gift for hospitality that she joined the operation. So, when they opened the first brick-and-mortar restaurant, they added her name — and Florence & the Spice Boys was born…