Aqua Talks stays at Blu Halo for a second helping, trading the dining room for the kitchen with executive chef David Smith — the guy making the magic happen. A Maryland native who came up through Hyatt and Two Roads Hospitality banquet kitchens (grinding from commis to banquet chef, cooking for parties of 50 to 5,000), Dave brings a Mediterranean-leaning, seafood-loving sensibility and a fresh-every-day philosophy to Blu Halo's St. Pete location, where he's been since it opened.

The conversation is a food lover's tour: how rising meat and produce prices push him toward creative, lesser-known cuts (teres major, bistro and hanger steaks); his fresh Florida seafood (black grouper with citrus-peppadew gremolata, pan-seared sea bass with walnut-kalamata tapenade, scallop caprese); crowd-pleasers like the all-Wagyu smashburger that jumped from lunch to dinner; and a few home-cook tips along the way (dry your scallops, and yes to Old Bay on nearly everything). Larry and Dave build a full imaginary meal from cocktail to dessert, landing on the showstopper carrot cake and a Dubai chocolate cake — because, as Dave puts it, the first and last things you get are what you remember about a restaurant.

In This Episode:

• 00:43 - Deep Dive: Marketing for Tourism & Hospitality
• 02:11 - Seafood: Chef Dave's Signature Dishes
• 06:14 - From Hotels to Blue Halo: The Chef’s Journey
• 11:07 - Transition to Lunch: Menu and Crowd
• 13:50 - Entrées — Main Courses & Steak Selections
• 18:21 - Outro: Closing Remarks, Resources & Call to Action

Key Takeaways:

• Rising prices, smarter cuts. With meat and produce costs climbing, Dave leans into creative, lesser-known cuts (teres major, bistro steak, hanger steak) to deliver a "wow" without breaking the bank.
• Fresh, every day. Seafood is called in and processed fresh daily — black grouper with citrus-peppadew gremolata, pan-seared sea bass with toasted-walnut and kalamata tapenade, and a pan-seared scallop caprese finished with Parmigiano Reggiano.
• A Mediterranean backbone. Dave's flavor profiles draw from Italy, Greece, and Turkey — capers, garlic, onion, olive oil — elevating simple ingredients.
• The smashburger nobody can resist. An all-Wagyu, made-to-order smashburger with garlic aioli and house pickles got so popular it moved onto the dinner menu; sided with truffle-Parmesan shoestring fries.
• Signature and staple dishes. The 10-year-strong Blu Halo chop, braised beef tenderloin tips, spinach salad with truffle vinaigrette and Plant City strawberries, bikini prawns, pan-fried burrata ("an adult mozzarella stick"), and a Wagyu pastrami smoked just for them in New York.
• Save room — it's what you remember. A carrot cake big enough for two, hot beignets with bourbon caramel, triple chocolate cake, and a pistachio-filled Dubai chocolate cake.
• Chef's home-cook tips. Dry your scallops before searing, Old Bay on almost everything (just not lobster — keep the butter), and simple wine pairings by dish.
• A deep kitchen résumé. From Hyatt and Two Roads banquet kitchens to time under chef Sam DeMarco and a Maryland pasta concept, Dave brings serious range to Blu Halo.

Aqua Talks heads on-location to Blu Halo, where managing partner Andy Donato walks host Larry Aldrich through the restaurant's second location — nestled between St. Pete and Tampa, right off Ulmerton near the Howard Frankland Bridge. Ten years after the original opened in Tallahassee, this spot just passed its one-year anniversary, and Andy makes the case for a place that lives in the niche between casual and fine dining: an everyday lunch or dinner, a craft-cocktail conversation at the round bar, or a special-occasion celebration with dry-aged steaks and seafood towers.

Andy talks trends (craft cocktails and smoked Old Fashioneds are king, bourbon and whiskey are surging), the food that's winning over guests (a surprise-hit smash burger, the signature bikini shrimp, chicken lollipops, and a four-layer carrot cake big enough for three), and a happy hour built around premium liquor at half price with live music Wednesday through Friday. He also shares the brand's ambitions — growing from two locations to as many as six — and the "cutting edge," always-evolving menu philosophy that keeps regulars coming back to see what's new.

In This Episode:

• 00:43 - Episode Kickoff — Deep Dive into Marketing
• 03:42 - Blue Halo — Background & Growth Plans
• 07:14 - Dinner Experience at Blue Halo
• 11:20 - Happy Hour and Social Scene at The Blue Halo
• 13:27 - Seating and Group Accommodations
• 17:43 - Why Drive to Blue Halo? Ambiance, Service, and an Evolving Menu

Key Takeaways:

• The niche between casual and fine dining. Blu Halo aims to be an everyday lunch/dinner spot, a craft-cocktail bar hangout, and a special-occasion destination all at once — with a menu spanning affordable plates to dry-aged steaks and seafood towers.
• Trends Andy is watching. Craft cocktails (smoked Old Fashioneds are the top seller) and a big rise in bourbon and whiskey; he sees craft beer as past its peak.
• Signature and surprise dishes. The signature bikini shrimp (the dish Andy fought to get on the menu), chicken lollipops the chef Frenches, pan-fried burrata, filet tips — plus a smash burger that got so popular it jumped from lunch to the dinner menu.
• Save room for dessert. A four-layer carrot cake with homemade caramel and Cracker Jacks (big enough to share), blueberry cheesecake, and beignets.
• A generous happy hour. Monday–Friday, premium liquor at half price (not "well drinks"), food specials 4–6, cocktails from 11:30–6, with live music Wed–Fri.
• Built for groups and everyone. A circular bar designed for conversation, captain's tables and private dining for parties, a kids' menu, and even a patio pup menu.
• Location and growth. In the Publix Plaza by Topgolf, near the Raymond James corporate office and a growing city-center of condos and retail — with plans to grow the brand from two locations to four, five, or six.
• An ever-evolving menu. Andy's "cutting edge" philosophy means the menu refreshes with the seasons and trends — dine again in 12–18 months and it'll have changed (like the summer $28 Maine lobster "Lobster Trap" feature).

Returning guest Oliver Kugler of Visit St. Pete Clearwater delivers an energetic rundown of a destination firing on all cylinders. Record bed tax collections are rolling in — January and February 2026 are in the books and March looks like the best ever — powered by short-term rentals and hotels coming back online after the fall 2024 storms (though he notes some south-county properties are still recovering). The event calendar is a headliner: Red Bull Cliff Diving arrives at the St. Pete Pier in June (a 90-foot scaffold over a dredged Vinoy Basin), and The Ocean Race makes St. Pete Clearwater its North American stop in May 2027 — a 12-day international sailing event promising major global exposure.

Oliver also unveils a new brand campaign, "Beach. Culture." — an evolution beyond "Home to America's Best Beaches" that leans into the destination's cultural depth: the Dalí Museum, an incoming 2026 Michelin guide, 600+ murals, food and beverage, music, and pro sports from spring training to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He rounds it out with the community and economic case for tourism (Pinellas County's number-one economic driver, saving the average household roughly $1,730 a year), plus the ease of a car-free visit via the Grouper shuttle, Jolly Trolley, PSTA, and Sun Runner.

In This Episode:

• 00:06 - Introduction to Aqua Talks
• 01:10 - Exciting Developments at Visit St. Pete Clearwater
• 06:23 - Exploring the Cultural and Culinary Landscape of St. Pete Clearwater
• 12:23 - Exploring Local Events and Attractions
• 17:27 - Exploring the St. Pete Clearwater Area

Key Takeaways:

• Record bed tax, recovery complete. Jan/Feb 2026 set records and March is tracking as the best ever, driven by short-term rentals and hotels returning to inventory after the 2024 storms — though some south-county properties are still healing.
• Marquee events put the area on the international map. Red Bull Cliff Diving at the St. Pete Pier (June 5–6, 90-foot scaffold, Vinoy Basin dredged for safety) and The Ocean Race as the North American stop in May 2027 (12-day international sailing event).
• New campaign: "Beach. Culture." An evolution of "Home to America's Best Beaches" that adds the cultural layer — museums, food and beverage, music, and visual arts — as a reason to visit.
• Culture credentials. The Dalí Museum, a 2026 Michelin guide reveal, 600+ murals across St. Pete and beyond, and BayCare Sound (a top-rated open-air venue).
• New and renovated properties. Postcard Inn reopening as Luce ('80s California chic), plus major renovations at Serrata Beach Resort and TradeWinds on St. Pete Beach.
• Deep sports bench. Spring training (Blue Jays in Dunedin, Phillies in Clearwater), the Rays back at Tropicana Field, LPGA Annika and other championship golf, and the Tampa Bay Rowdies — the region's oldest pro team.
• Tourism as community benefit. Pinellas County's #1 economic driver, credited with the average household saving ~$1,730/year (no state income tax), with big events also serving locals (Clearwater Jazz Holiday, Country Thunder).
• Car-free and easy. Two international airports, the $8 "Grouper" airport-to-beach shuttle, Jolly Trolley, PSTA, and Sun Runner make exploring simple; Hubbard's Marina (Capt. Dylan Hubbard) is a five-time USA Today #1 charter operation.