TV chef Geoffrey Zakarian to run St. Petersburg hotel’s flagship restaurant

Celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian will manage, operate and serve as chef for a new restaurant coming to downtown St. Petersburg’s soon-to-be built Autograph Collection branded hotel.

Zakarian, a culinary and television star, has been chosen by the developers of The Central, a downtown mixed-used development, to oversee the full-service restaurant and other food and beverage offerings at the hotel. His company, Zakarian Hospitality, will also manage all food, beverage and hospitality services at Halcyon, an office tower in the development.

The Central is the redevelopment of St. Pete’s former police headquarters on Central Avenue in the city’s Edge District.

Plans call for the construction of the 11-story Halcyon tower to begin later this year and finish in early 2027. It will include ground floor retail and 140,000 square feet of rentable office space.

Construction of the 168-room hotel, which carry Marriott’s premium Autograph Collection flag. is planned to start next year.

Ellison Development, the developer, says in a statement that Zakarian’s Central Hotel’s flagship restaurant “will be thoughtfully designed around St. Petersburg’s unique story, blending local flavor with the sophisticated approach that has made him a household name.”

His company will then service a rooftop pool bar and jazz lounge at the Halcyon, plus banquets, catering and “curated culinary experiences” designed for both hotel guests and office tenants.

Zakarian is a restaurant operator known for his modern American cuisine. He currently stars in Food Network’s Chopped and The Kitchen and is an Iron Chef on Iron Chef America.

He is also no stranger to the region. Tampa General Hospital announced in July that it was partnering with Zakarian to “revolutionize hospital food service with a new menu and delivery model.”

The new menu, which the hospital says includes grilled Gulf snapper, bistro hanger steak and an herbed falafel pita, will be available starting in October to patients at the main campus on Davis Islands. It focuses on anti-inflammatory foods rich in key vitamins and nutrients, resembling a traditional Mediterranean diet.

As for the Central, Zakarian will not be its only celebrity. Ark Invest, the global investment firm led by internationally known investor Cathie Wood, will move its headquarters into the tower when it opens.