When Proper House Group opened ASH on Water Street Tampa in 2024, it carried the same restless energy that helped Rooster & the Till earn national attention.
What began years earlier as a 37-seat restaurant in Seminole Heights has since grown into one of Tampa Bay’s most influential hospitality collectives.
Chef Ferrell Alvarez, a 2017 James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: South, leads the group alongside partners Ty Rodriguez, Chon Nguyen and Myles Gallagher.
Together, they’ve built a portfolio that now spans Rooster & the Till, ASH and Alter Ego at Water Street, Gallito Taqueria and Gordito’s at Sparkman Wharf, The Collective at Escape and The Joinery in Lakeland.
Across each concept, the philosophy stays consistent. Bold flavors. Precise execution. Hospitality that feels personal rather than performative.
More than a year after opening, ASH has settled into its identity. The menu now leans confidently into ingredient-driven Italian cooking that respects tradition while allowing room for play.
That next chapter is being shaped by the arrival of Chef Seth Temple as chef de cuisine.
A chef shaped by discipline and range
Temple’s path into the kitchen started early in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where his parents ran a weekend catering company while teaching during the week.
He learned prep work, repetition and discipline before he learned refinement.
His career later took him across North America and Europe. He helped lead Barraco in Montreal, reworked Le Chat Noir in New Orleans and contributed to menus at Couvant and Kenton’s, both known for thoughtful Southern-forward cuisine.
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Along the way, mentors like Frank Brigtsen and Brad McDonald helped sharpen his technique and reinforce the importance of regional respect and constant curiosity.
“ASH is about genuine hospitality and memorable meals,” Alvarez said. “Seth’s passion for seasonal cooking and his commitment to team culture made him the right fit. His humor and care for people are infectious.”
A philosophy built on restraint and joy
Temple cooks with a “less is more” philosophy that lets ingredients carry the plate. His goal is comfort without complacency and food that invites conversation rather than demands attention.
“I was drawn to the culture at Proper House Group,” Temple said. “It’s about balance. You show up, do your best work, then unplug and enjoy life. That’s how creativity survives.”
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That mindset carries into the kitchen. Energy stays high. Collaboration stays central. When the team is engaged, Temple believes guests feel it immediately.
“When the kitchen is excited, the dining room comes alive,” he said. “That connection matters.”
Where Italian tradition meets modern Tampa
Innovation at ASH often starts behind the bar. The Banana Colada reworks the tropical classic with Bacardi Ocho, Luxardo del Santo, fresh coconut milk, orange juice, ginger and almonds.
The Garden Collins blends gin, aquavit, lemon, honey, carrot, dill and black pepper into something bright and unexpectedly balanced.
The food follows the same rhythm. Boquerones & Focaccia pairs marinated anchovies with soft bread in a dish that feels both ritualistic and indulgent.
Giaveri Osetra caviar arrives with crème fraîche, gin-marinated cucumbers and maple yolk for a quiet note of luxury.
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Oysters come dressed with kumquat mignonette and bay leaf oil. Wagyu beef carpaccio layers fried oysters, fennel and apple into a surf-and-turf interpretation that feels playful rather than precious.
Chicken liver mousse balances richness with blood orange marmalade and pickled ramps.
Standouts include crispy artichokes topped with spicy ’nduja, amaro sabayon and parmesan streusel, along with fried rabbit glazed in hot honey and finished with pickled onions and blue cheese.
It’s a subtle nod to buffalo wings delivered with restraint.
Temple’s Italian–New Orleans influence shows clearly in the grilled prawns scampi, finished with garlic scapes, lemon and herbs in a prawn and red wine broth that practically demands bread.
Dessert closes with the marzipan sundae, where strawberries, amaretti crunch and rosemary honey deliver sweetness without excess.
Looking forward without chasing accolades
With Temple guiding the kitchen, ASH enters a period of refinement while staying true to the spirit that defines Proper House Group.
As Tampa’s dining scene grows more competitive, the group remains focused on connection rather than awards.
For Alvarez and his team, success is not about arrival. It’s about evolution.
At ASH, every dish reflects how far they’ve come and how deliberately they’re willing to keep going.
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