“I feel like St. Petersburg wasn’t really paid attention to much in the past. A lot of the restaurants didn’t really have to try too hard to be busy because of the location,” explains chef Nick Ocando, the culinary director of three distinct restaurants in the tourist destination. “That’s kind of shifted now, the pressure for the culinary scene to kind of elevate their game is on.”
Ocando starts his day at Allelo, the Mediterranean and Aegan restaurant where he is also the executive chef. He oversees prep for an array of dishes, including homemade pasta for radiatori with lamb bolognese and a honey-thyme cappelletti that is delicately placed on a rich pappa al pomodoro soup. He also preps an octopus and watermelon shared plate, in which both ingredients are broken down and compressed in vacuum-sealed bags with peppers, lemons, and other aromatics that will instill flavor into the finished dish.
After hopping on his golf cart, Ocando begins the rounds at his other restaurants. He checks in at his New American concept June & The Peacock, where executive chef Drew Dimitrovski is starting lunch service. The bustling restaurant, which opened early last year, churns out 2,400 plates on any given day. Dimitrovski mixes up crab, smoked salmon, and lobster salads for a seafood tower with fresh oysters and shrimp, showcasing the oceanside town’s outstanding seafood. Mise en place preparations begin for Ocando’s third concept, Pluma Lounge, which serves up Central American dishes and cocktails. One of the “top sellers” on the menu, huitlacoche empanadas, are built with freshly pressed purple corn masa and filled with the corn fungus, corn, cilantro, onion, and mozzarella.
Finally, Ocando makes his way back to Allelo to begin dinner service. The watermelon and octopus that have been marinating all day are ready to be cubed up and plated on a whipped goat cheese spread with orange juice-soaked black currants. Ocando wraps up the last bits of prep for the night, slicing up Japanese wagyu and carefully breaking down a whole lobster. Originally from Maine, he’s very particular about his preparation, using the same icy “lobster flavored water” for cooling and cleaning out the liver. Each knuckle and claw is taken apart by Ocando and laid in the body of a half-lobster. This process is required for every order of lobster cocktail that comes to the kitchen.
“We’re here to make sure that everyone is taken good care of and pushing the quality to be top notch for everybody,” Oscando says. High-quality ingredients are the most important part of his process, allowing diners to “literally feel good after you eat the food.”
Watch the latest episode of Experts to see Oscando expertly jump between kitchens and cuisines at his three standout restaurants.
