Metropolitan Ministries held its 2025 Tampa Bay Food Fight, at Amalie Arena, in Tampa. Now in its eighth year, the event brings together Tampa Bay’s top chefs in a culinary showdown to support Metropolitan Ministries’ job training programs.
This year’s event featured Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian, an Iron Chef and Chopped judge, as a special guest. The evening was hosted by Haley Hinds, anchor for Fox 13 News, alongside Chef Jeff Philbin, host of Fox 13’s Dinner DeeAs and a MasterChef season 8 finalist.
The competition pitted Team Tampa, led by Waylon Nelson of Delaware North and the Tampa Bay Lightning, against Team St. Pete, captained by Lee Aquino of Birchwood and Teak. Met Mini raised more than $450,000 to support job training programs with 1,100 people in attendance. Team St. Pete took home the trophy this year.
Photo Credit: Carrie Wildes Photography
