Every city, state and country offers a unique take on food—reflected in the spices, main ingredients and time-honored methods passed down through generations. The best chefs learn from these cultures, adopting and blending them to create unique dishes that take your taste buds on a journey around the world. These three Tampa Bay chefs each have a distinct story, but whether inspired by their travels or heritage, they all draw from the culinary expertise of other cultures to bring something truly special to the table. Here, you’ll find a passport to flavors—no plane ticket required.
A Taste of Tradition
Nana Darkwah, executive chef at Ocean Hai, came to the United States from Ghana at 19. With experience in both an Italian kitchen and a sushi restaurant, he returned to his roots when crafting his own menu at Ocean Hai.
“It was important to bring my ethnic roots to the main stage because I wanted people to understand the cuisine, the African cuisines, especially Ghanaian cuisine,” he says.
Though his Ghanaian-inspired menu initially ran for a limited time and returns for special occasions, the current Ocean Hai menu focuses on Floridian and Asian flavors. Still, Darkwah incorporates tastes of home whenever he can, with ingredients like ginger, coriander, thyme and shallots.
“Most cultures use the same ingredients but in different ways,” he says.
When exploring new culinary traditions, Darkwah conducts extensive research to honor authentic flavors. “I always try to make sure I understand the culture of where the cuisine is from and how it’s made traditionally and how we can incorporate it into the modern cuisine,” he says.
Blending Roots and Routes
Christina Theofilos grew up in the kitchen alongside her mother and Yiayia, becoming steeped in the culture and traditions of Greek cuisine. Her deep appreciation for Greek food inspired her to open Psomi, where the menu evolves with each new travel experience. Whether it’s summer trips to Greece, Spain or Italy, Mediterranean flavors follow her home, blending with other culinary influences to create unique dishes—like her saganaki with honey, inspired by a trip to Mykonos with her sister, which harmonizes sweet and savory.
“The Greek culture, the food is very simple; you cook with what’s available,” she explains. “Within the last five years, the Greek food scene has completely turned on its head,” Theofilos reflects on the shift from family-style meals to more modern, refined presentations, an approach she had already embraced at Psomi.
“I think the beauty of food is that across cultures, we’re all eating similar things—we just call it something different,” she adds, describing how exploring different versions of familiar dishes fuels her creativity.
“I think that travel is so important in developing your palate, your art as a chef,” she says. “I feel like that’s the most amazing thing about food is it connects us, we all are connected to food and I love that.”
A Journey on the Plate
“I cannot remember a time when I was not obsessed with food or cooking,” says Richard Hales, chef and owner of Hales Blackbrick.
Raised by his Filipino mother and grandmother, Hales grew up with a deep connection to Asian cuisine and culinary techniques, but his passion only intensified when he ventured out on his own.
“I grew up in Tampa and I always had moments of thinking ‘is this it?’ in my life. That feeling led me to move to NYC then travel to Asia. Once I experienced my first trip to Asia in 1989 at 19 years old I was hooked. I could not imagine my life without experiencing new food cultures,” he recalls.
These journeys inspired Hales Blackbrick, where Asian cuisine takes center stage, interwoven with flavors and techniques Hales absorbed from travels to places like Italy, and from backpacking across Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, working everywhere from hawker stalls to restaurants.
“It is not just one dish; it is the culmination of all the techniques I learned in the most unusual places sometimes,” Hales notes of his menu.
Whether inspired by family traditions, travels across continents or a passion for recreating the flavors of home, each of these chefs brings a rich perspective to Tampa Bay’s vibrant culinary scene. From gyros to bao buns, whatever dish you try next isn’t just a meal—it’s a journey through flavors, techniques and traditions from around the world—no passport required.
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