Chef From Michelin-Starred Tampa Restaurant To Open Mei in Downtown St. Petersburg in May

Executive Chef Alex Chamberlain will open Mei this May in downtown St. Petersburg. The spot sits at 320 3rd St. South and spans 2,700 square feet. Chamberlain brings French technique with Nordic influence and Japanese ingredients. He's leaving his post as Chef de Cuisine at Michelin-starred Kōsen in Tampa.

The restaurant splits into two sections. The Living Room holds 50 guests and serves an à la carte menu, plus an optional prix fixe experience if diners want it. The Kitchen Counter holds just eight seats. Guests get a chef-guided tasting menu there.

Chamberlain trained at Michelin-starred Beckon in Denver, learning classical French and Nordic cooking. At Mei, he'll work with in-house fermentation and koji aging as well as dry aging. Fire-based cooking blends Nordic open-hearth methods with Japanese binchotan grilling.

"After coming back to Florida, I've found the community in St. Pete to be one of the most supportive and interesting cities in the state," Chamberlain said, according to St. Pete Rising. "I really wanted to bring my experiences from Colorado — the ethos and intentionality of service — to the same areas that I grew up in."

Chamberlain named the restaurant after his sister. "My sister has always meant home to me, and Mei is a way to invite St. Pete into our version of home," Chamberlain said. "Our goal at Mei is to make you feel like you're visiting a lifelong friend, sitting around a dinner table and sharing a meal and bottle of wine, reminiscing over shared memories and plans for new ones."

Benjamin Coutts will run the beverage program. He's a Michelin-awarded Sommelier of the Year who worked at Soseki in Winter Park before this.

Orlando restaurateurs Johnny and Jimmy Tung fund the venture. They own Kōsen and Tantō in Tampa, and Zōtō and Yūgen in Sarasota. Tokyo Swim Club opens in Ybor City this fall.

"Chef Alex has done a tremendous job elevating the guest experiences at both Kōsen and Tantō," Johnny Tung said. "We're excited to give him this opportunity in St. Petersburg, where the food scene is coming alive."

Jacob Portillo of Omei Design Studio created the space. Nordic cabins and Japanese teahouses inspired the design. Natural materials fill the interior with a neutral palette. Seasonal florals and organic textures add color.

Mei will use whole ingredients and preserve what it can to cut waste. The restaurant partners with local farms and fishermen, composts scraps, and uses biodegradable packaging. Dinner service runs Wednesday through Sunday. A waitlist is live on the website now.