The 14th annual SAVOR St. Pete festival returns to Vinoy Park on Saturday with celebrity chefs, new restaurant concepts and an estimated $2 million economic boost to the city’s waterfront.
SAVOR’S rising profile continues to attract national culinary figures. Chef Paul Wahlberg, co-founder of the Wahlburgers chain, and Chef Jing Gao, founder of Fly By Jing, will appear on the cooking stage and judge the festival’s Chef’s Culinary Competition.
Recognized as Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s Best Food Festival for the past two years, the two-day event will also feature unlimited tastings from over 100 brands, cooking demonstrations and unique craft cocktails.
SAVOR founder Tammy Gail said the festival’s popularity lies in its curated, regional approach. Rather than replicating massive culinary events that draw tens of thousands of attendees, Gail designed the St. Pete event to be a boutique experience tailored to a “big little market.”
“Our goal was obviously to introduce people to culinary as an art and bring exposure to local chefs – not just Food Network chefs, but people who are local and still have the same incredible talent,” Gail told the Tampa Bay Reporter. “But they may be overlooked because they don’t have a TV show with their name on it.”
Wahlberg, along with his famous brothers Mark and Donnie, did have a show with his name on it. Gail said he has also developed an exclusive “ultimate SAVOR Burger” for the festival.
Before the weekend kicks off, Wahlberg will host a two-hour public demonstration Friday at the Publix Super Market on 4th Street North. He will prepare sliders and interact with local shoppers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“They’re so down to earth and homey, and everything is about family with them,” Gail said of the Wahlbergs. “He (Paul) started off cleaning tables.”
Gao, known for revolutionizing Sichuan flavor profiles in Western markets through her viral premium condiment brand, Fly By Jing, has also partnered on product crossovers with high-profile chains like Shake Shack and Panda Express.
While celebrity guests draw crowds, SAVOR St. Pete also serves as a launchpad for local restaurateurs to tease upcoming projects to a captive audience. Chef Jacob Rios, culinary director for Next Level Brands, the hospitality group behind Forbici, Boulon Brasserie and Union New American, is competing in Saturday’s chef showdown.
Rios, who won a Chopped competition on the Food Network in 2025, is using the competition to unveil a closely guarded dish from a recently announced Tampa restaurant. He will prepare a Mexican-inspired duck mole to highlight Matilde, an upscale coastal Mexican steakhouse slated to open in spring 2027.
“I figure, let me give a little preview of what the food is going to be and the concept is going to be,” Rios said.
Doug Sandy, executive chef at recently opened Forbici St. Pete, will serve the restaurant’s popular rigatoni alla vodka alongside a pistachio mortadella sandwich with stracciatella cheese from the tasting tent.
Rios, who moved to Tampa three years ago, said the festival is a crucial networking opportunity that strengthens the region’s hospitality industry. High-profile judges like Wahlberg add to the draw.
“I grew up watching Food Network; I’ve always admired those guys,” Rios said. “When you have chefs like that who have been around, tasted different stuff, for them to come in and judge your food, I think it’s the best.”
SAVOR also showcases emerging beverage trends. Gail pointed to “fat washing” – a mixology technique where fats are infused into spirits to create a richer, fuller profile – as a personal highlight at this year’s event.
Tampa Bay’s culinary scene was still finding its footing when SAVOR launched in 2012, Gail said. The event now generates over $2 million for the local economy.
Gail attributed the festival’s longevity to long-lasting national partnerships. “There’s a lot of trust,” she said.
The event is part of a broader culinary tourism strategy for Gail, who also organizes SAVOR SoFLO in South Florida each spring. She called the cross-state promotion “foodie road tripping,” and has “feelers out” in multiple other markets.
Gail believes local chefs, like artists and muralists, are vital to St. Petersburg’s cultural identity.“The Food Network really did create a culture of people being interested in cooking. It’s an art form, and it knows no bounds,” she said.
Rios advised SAVOR St. Pete attendees to step outside their comfort zones. “Go into this event with an open mindset,” he said.
“Some people might be picky … but SAVOR is one of those events where you have so many chefs, restaurateurs and new dishes and new ingredients that you might not be familiar with. Just take a picture, give it a try and be adventurous.”
