Rooster & the Till

Every great story starts with a happenstance meeting, including this one.

A young chef leaves his position as Chef de Tournant at Tampa’s luxury resort and spa, Saddlebrook. Having trained at the Cincinnati Culinary Institute he was venturing off to join the creative vision of a true architect of modern cuisine in the Tampa Bay area, Marty Blitz of Mise en Place.

His soon-to-be acquaintance, finished his degree at New York Restaurant School where he then went on to become General Manager of the New York City staple, The Cupping Room Café. Holding hope to move back to his hometown and work for a consistent detailed service restaurateur in the Tampa Bay area, he found Maryann Ferenc, also of Mise en Place.

And so they meet. Two individuals working for the two people who help define the Tampa restaurant scene for over two decades. Chef Ferrell Alvarez and Ty Rodriguez would form a lifelong friendship over the next 10 years. Together they instilled the words passion, integrity and progression into all facets of their life and careers. More importantly, began to understand the sense of community a restaurant can provide a neighborhood and even a city.

It was there that a plan was hatched to create their own concept. Twelve years later, Rooster & the Till opened in December of 2013. The duo now possessed a foundation that is usually unique to siblings. Chef Ferrell’s creative force and drive set the tone for all things kitchen and menu, while Ty lays focus in curating a wine list to match the complexity of all components. They strive to look for the detail in all movements of the restaurant. Table settings, dish plating’s, support for their neighborhood and true respect for their staff, all play into the very fiber that is Rooster & the Till.

Ty and Ferrell firmly believe in their motto, ‘Teamwork Makes the Dream Work,’ that a restaurant is nothing without the people and personalities who work there and dine there. So that is their story, but it seems this could just be the beginning.

Thank you and we hope to see you soon, -R&tT