At Tampa Convention Center, every event is elevated by our exclusive food and beverage partner, Aramark. Our culinary team crafts custom menus for conferences, conventions, trade shows, and meetings — with options to suit every taste and dietary need. From gourmet plated dinners to creative coffee breaks, we deliver seamless catering, professional service, and unforgettable dining experiences that make your event stand out.
Chef Richard Kalman leads the Aramark culinary team at the Tampa Convention Center. Aramark is the exclusive provider for all food, beverage, and catering services both inside and outside the facility. Richard has 45 years of culinary experience and began his culinary career at The Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City working across all cuisines and catering. His first Executive Chef position was at Mt. Pocono Caesar’s Resorts and Starwood Hotels. He joined Ovations Food Services as the Executive Chef at the Millville Racetrack then PPL Park home of the Philadelphia Union. In addition to his venue, Richard focused on opening additional properties and training new staff. Richard’s team focused on making everything fresh in not only the Clubs & Catering but also Concessions. The team at PPL Park was awarded a silver spoon award. Richard and his team set the standard for catering menus and presentations throughout the company.
More recently, Chef Kalman has worked for Compass and Unidine to open and transition properties. Proudly known by colleagues as a scratch chef and someone who trains Executive Chefs, Richard enjoys all aspects of culinary arts and enjoys taking on new challenges as well as mastering traditional recipes.
