It’s not the kind of place you would imagine a food empire to start. Nestled between Auto Body shops and “Buy here, Pay here” car lots, this unassuming plaza may not even catch your eye as you drive by.
With only a sign by the door to indicate its location, Chef Ferrell Alvarez truly created a hidden gem. And once you do find it and step inside, you’ll see what all the fuss is about.
Rooster and the Till deserves a place among the upper echelon of restaurants in the Tampa Bay area. It has boasted a Bib Gourmand Award two years in a row, a James Beard nomination, and named best restaurant multiple times by local publications. This is only the beginning for Chef Ferrell, where seemingly, every year brings on a new accolade and a new restaurant concept.
Working under The Proper House Group, Chef Ferrell and his team have amassed 6 different concepts including Gallito Taqueria, Nebraska Mini-Mart, Dang Dude, Lunch Lady, and the highly anticipated, Ash at Water Street. And there's no sign of stopping.
But before the awards and restaurants, it was just an idea. One that lived in the head of a dishwasher on the outskirts of Cincinnati in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Working to pay his car insurance and whatever else a teenage boy needs to survive was Chef Ferrell's first introduction to the restaurant scene. Being a recent transplant from Tampa, FL, Chef Ferrell moved up to Cincinnati for High School and later attended the Cincinnati Culinary Arts Academy.
His desire to cook was already simmering in the back of his mind since childhood. A spark of interest came about when he was just an 8-year-old kid, watching his mother, aunts, and grandmother cook traditional Italian dinners at home. Every weekend consisted of a Sunday Supper, ideally by the pool. Those early memories of tradition, community, and love still make up the core of Chef Ferrell’s restaurants.
Ironically, after graduating, Chef Ferrell moved back to Tampa. This time for good and landing a job at Mise en Place, one of Tampa’s most iconic and well-known restaurants. There he worked alongside Chef Marty Blitz, where he worked his way up and eventually became Marty’s Chef de Cuisine. After seven years at Mise, he would become the Executive Chef at the Harbour Island landmark, Cafe Dufrain. At this point, Chef Ferrell is a juggernaut in the Tampa culinary scene. The time spent at those two restaurants would prove invaluable to his understanding of leadership and managing a team.
All the qualities that a person needs to run a successful restaurant were culminating to fruition. Chef Ferell now had the repertoire and expertise to open his own spot. And in 2013, Rooster and the Till was finally here.
Since its inception, it has undergone numerous interior remodels. The patrons come and go. The tasting menu is ever-changing. Rooster and the Till is a living and breathing organism. A reflection of Chef Ferrell’s unsatisfied thirst for innovation. It’s a revolving door of flavors and ideas; as soon as one tasting menu is out, another one is right behind it. It keeps you begging for more.
And quality never falters. Using local products when possible and sourcing everything else sustainably with a quality-first mentality. All while keeping affordability within the realm of accessibility for a wide range of guests. You could show up for a casual dinner ordering from the standard menu or splurge on a sensory experience as you follow the tasting menu. These, of course, can all be accompanied by the meticulously selected wines curated by General Manager Karyln Muzik. Or if wine is not your vibe, take a blind pick from the expansive cocktail bar. The point is, that Chef Ferrell has thought of it all, and there's something for everyone.
Its diversity on the pallet is sure to send your head spinning. A diversity that Chef Ferrell believes is lacking in the Tampa Bay culinary culture. But it is a culture on the cusp of a growth spurt. As more people flock to the Sunshine State, modern cuisine is forced to adapt to the growing curiosity of those patrons. Since the birth of Rooster and the Till, Tampa has seen impressive growth, and with that growth comes competition. Yet, despite the influx of people and restaurants, Rooster and the Till remains untouched and in a league of its own.