A new neighbor with heart
Craig Chapman, former corporate chef for Bonefish Grill and Hops Restaurant and Brewery, is up and running with his big restaurant plans for downtown St. Petersburg. First to open its doors is Grillside Central at the site of the defunct Tedesco's at 437 Central Avenue. To celebrate the launch, Chapman has decided to donate all proceeds from Thursday's lunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., to the Abilities Foundation.
Says Frank DeLucia, foundation president and chief executive, "Craig Chapman is an accomplished chef with a lot of head room who could have selected any of 2,400 nonprofits in the Tampa Bay area, yet he chose to put his faith in, and financial muscle, behind us. It's very humbling and rewarding, and quite a tribute to Abilities' success in placing people with disabilities in mainstream jobs and affordable housing."
Technically, aren't we supposed to bring the new neighbor a Bundt cake or something? The least we can do is check out the new place and have lunch for a good cause.
"He who distinguishes the true savor of his food can never be a glutton; he who does not cannot be otherwise." 
Too bad Chapman didnt show some heart to the former Redwoods staff that he promised jobs to and then canned them without notice or ability to pay their bills
Posted by: Stnsfan | May 09, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Chapman, who fired one former Redwoods member, should be ashamed. He has left this person struggling to find a job in a depressed market and soon to join the many homeless in the comunnity. With neighbors like him, maybe he should be opening food banks.
Posted by: Bayparrothead | May 09, 2008 at 12:27 AM
And isn't that d-bag Dean Allen his General Manager. Didn't he get fired after less than one month at Parkshore Grille?
Posted by: Mark | May 16, 2008 at 12:17 AM
The people from the old Tedesco's Grillside were promised jobs and "not to worry" and then they abruptly fired them as the restaurant changed hands.
Posted by: anon | May 18, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Maybe the employees were the reason the others failed. Don't blame the new owners for trying to make a new restaurant work, would you rather see boarded up store fronts ?
Posted by: jrkiwi | June 02, 2008 at 07:56 AM
I've been to Grillside Central a couple times now and have been impressed to see Chapman hands-on in the kitchen both times. The menu is crazy-affordable (same at lunch and dinner, so REALLY affordable for dinner) and the staff's mandate is to please the customer. I don't know about his hiring/firing practices, but I'm thrilled so far.
Posted by: The Mouth | June 04, 2008 at 08:31 PM