With Just Getting Started, Deputy Mayor and City Administrator Dr. Kanika Tomalin is “telling the St. Pete story” through one-on-one conversations with change-makers. With many exciting plans and projects on the horizon, St. Petersburg’s upward trajectory remains strong. “So much has been done, but here’s the secret: We’re just getting started.
St. Petersburg Foodies Lori Brown and Kevin Godbee, who write about food, restaurants, and trends in the business, talk with Dr. Tomalin about their website and podcast, and the difference between "restaurant reviewers" and people who simply write about their experiences and the foods they enjoy. They talk about their enthusiasm for "personality-driven" local restaurants, and about a couple of new and soon-to-open places. They also discuss the dramatic effects of the pandemic, and how restaurants - both locally and around the country - are adapting. Disclaimer: A segment of this interview is devoted to the restaurant capacity limits imposed by state government in the wake of Covid-19. The podcast was recorded before Gov. Ron DeSantis' Friday announcement that restaurants can now operate at 100 percent capacity.
St. Petersburg Foodies Lori Brown and Kevin Godbee, who write about food, restaurants, and trends in the business, talk with Dr. Tomalin about their website and podcast, and the difference between “restaurant reviewers” and people who simply write about their experiences and the foods they enjoy. They talk about their enthusiasm for “personality-driven” local restaurants, and about a couple of new and soon-to-open places. They also discuss the dramatic effects of the pandemic, and how restaurants – both locally and around the country – are adapting. Disclaimer: A segment of this interview is devoted to the restaurant capacity limits imposed by state government in the wake of Covid-19. The podcast was recorded before Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Friday announcement that restaurants can now operate at 100 percent capacity.
St. Pete has all the amenties, or the best things you would like from a big city. While still having that small-town feel."
We will only accept advertising from a restaurant we would recommend to a friend. We turn down money."
Dr. Kanika Tomalin is a thought leader, policy-maker, community ambassador, and health advocate.
As the first African-American, female Deputy Mayor and City Administrator of one of Florida’s largest cities, Dr. Kanika Tomalin is a role model for women from all walks of life and an advocate for innovative policies, equitable community revitalization, healthy families, at-risk youth and education.
Her signature initiative, Healthy St. Pete, which launched in 2014, has made community health a priority and impacts the lives of thousands of Sunshine City residents. By creating access to healthy food options, implementing free fitness zones in city parks and adding resources for individuals and families to make healthy living easier – Dr. Tomalin has made a tangible difference.
Dr. Tomalin’s understanding of the critical role health plays as a determinant of overall quality of life was shaped prior to her career in the public sector. She quickly climbed the ranks in the healthcare industry, most recently serving as the regional vice president of External Affairs for the Bayfront Health Network and director of Strategy for Health Management Associates’ 23-hospital Florida Group.
