let’s talk about food
Hello Sticks of Fire, my name is Kevin Lacassin and I love to eat and drink. I always wanted to be a writer, but never got around to writing anything until a few years ago when I realized my passion for food. I started writing about New Orleans food on a personal website and when it became too big I registered a domain name and the rest is history.
I lived in and loved the great city of New Orleans until Katrina forced me to evacuate. I spent some time in Chicago, then made my way to Tampa Bay to visit a friend. After only two weeks here I decided it would be my new home. In my opinion, the Tampa Bay region has the potential to be the best at everything. We’ve got great weather, beaches, professional sports and diversity. I say “potential,” because I really miss being in a city that celebrates food. Tampa is a city with plenty of variety, but we don’t “celebrate” food and drinks. I’m here to change that.
Last year I began a website called TampaBayEats with the intention of creating excitement about food in Tampa. It wasn’t long before I lost interest and just let the site become stagnant (it’ll stay active with my archives). Many of you may even remember an article published in the New York Times, one year ago this week, about a guy from New Orleans trying to find a good meal in Tampa. It created quite a buzz with Sticks of Fire readers who thought it to be a critical jab at the food scene in Tampa. That guy was me. I took a break from writing about Tampa food, but I am back.
Matt has been blazing the trail for down-home meals and good food, but he won’t be able to hold down the fort forever. I’m here to team up with him for a while and do my part to “create excitement about food in the Tampa Bay area.” Please join me here on Sticks of Fire for talk about food, drinks, restaurants, taverns, festivals and feasts. If it has to do with food, you’ll read about it here.
Tags: food, restaurant, review
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May 11th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Welcome! As a foodie in South Tampa who lived in New Orleans for 7 years – can’t wait for your perspective and reviews.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Kevin – good luck and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Tampa’s food scene. Tampa has alot of hidden gems, but they seem to come and go; often to make way for developers. For example, Mac’s (boy I did love their cheese fries), 42nd Street, Wine Exchange is closing down to make way for condos, etc.
Tampa is in an interesting stage of growth and change. Who knows what sort of restaurants and bars will invade downtown in the next few years. My hunch is that corporate monsters will take over, but my hope is that local and original places will prevail.
As an amateur foodie myself, I look forward to hearing your take on Tampa’s constantly changing food scene.
May 11th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Welcome Kevin! As a Tampa native who now lives in Ruskin, I hope you’ll escape the city limits once in a while to explore restaurants and food happenings throughout the bay area.
You just missed Ruskin’s annual Tomato Festival, but stay tuned for our Seafood Festival in the fall.
May 11th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Welcome, Kevin! You’re a part of a great site, and a great community. Hope you won’t be afraid to venture to the other side of the Bay to visit with us Pinellas County folks every now and again.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Welcome to the Sticks!
May 11th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Hi Kevin,
I just came across your blog and site. Just wanted to tell you congrats. I have just started a site myself, but its for the food and beverage industry itself. Would love your feedback and if you would like to add content that related to you or your site drop me a line.
Http://foodandbeverageunderground.com
Good luck
Saad
May 11th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Welcome to the Sticks Team !
May 13th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
welcome, kevin, i think you’re going to have a good time in the sticks
May 13th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
[...] out of the area in a couple weeks and guess who has stepped in to write a weekly food column? Yes, it’s me. Check out the site often and keep an eye out for some exciting talk about food in the Tampa Bay [...]
May 22nd, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Uptown: Good luck down there. Take my advice, keep an eye on your blood sugar so you can detect Type 2 Diabetes.
Regarding your concern about low-tech dining at franchise restaurants, just remember: Tampa is not New Orleans; a city that worships at the alter of tradition and history. Tampa, on the other hand, is modern, growing, and oozing with success. Count your blessings, you got out of Squalor Heights at the right time.
June 17th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Kevin,Why did you stop updating your web site?
Was it because you weren’t getting enough responses? I think we NEED a site like that. what kind of marketing was done for the site, if any?
Why dont you approach the culinarians who care about the food culture here? I can think of a number of cook’s and chef’s at my work and the area that are pleading for this type of outlet.
If you arent willing to, would you be interested in letting someone else run the site?