Boulon’s culinary director, Jacob Rios, is reworking the restaurant’s menu and kitchen operations as Next Level Brands expands its portfolio and builds its culinary team.
Rios stepped into the role last year and now oversees culinary direction across several restaurants. His immediate focus is Boulon, where a revised menu introduces new dishes while maintaining the foundation established when the restaurant opened.
“We have a strong foundation,” Rios said. “It’s about pushing it forward and redefining our identity.”
Refining a brasserie identity
The updated menu leans further into a French brasserie approach, shaped by classical technique and adjusted for local tastes.
“This is a French restaurant, by the American way,” Rios said.
The menu also draws from New Orleans, with influences from the French Quarter shaping elements of the concept.
Dishes such as Chilean sea bass with citrus and lentil ragout tie French technique to Florida ingredients, using traditional structure while adjusting flavors and presentation for local diners
“If the dish is perfect and it works, we don’t touch it,” he said.
Changes centered on balance and guest experience. A seafood pot pie was adjusted to reduce the sauce’s richness after the dish proved too heavy for guests to finish, improving how the dish holds up throughout the meal.
Balancing a wide customer base
The menu serves a broad range of customers, from casual diners to those seeking a full-service experience.
“We have guests that come in for a drink and a burger,” Rios said. “And we have guests that want a full dining experience.”
The menu spans from burgers to high-end seafood and steaks, requiring the kitchen to execute across multiple price points and dining expectations.
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Rios said the approach relies on restraint as much as creativity.
“Simple is better,” he said. “Focus on the quality of the ingredient and let that speak for itself.”
Building the kitchen before changing the menu
Before making changes to the menu, Rios focused on the kitchen’s structure and culture.
He identified team members who could grow into leadership roles and worked to stabilize the kitchen. That foundation allowed the restaurant to move forward with menu changes several months into his tenure.
“We wanted to make sure the culture was correct,” Rios said. “That the team wanted to learn and grow.”
Rios previously held leadership roles in Orlando and Charleston before joining Next Level Brands through Union, another concept in the group.
A developing talent market
Rios said building a consistent team remains a challenge in Tampa’s dining market, where the depth of experienced culinary talent continues to develop.
“The talent is not at the level of New York City and Miami,” he said. “But we are heading in the right direction.”
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The company is focusing more on developing staff internally while continuing to recruit from outside markets.
Next Level Brands has positioned itself to support that effort by building talent within its kitchens while expanding its portfolio.
Positioning for growth
The changes at Boulon represent one part of a broader strategy as Next Level Brands expands its presence in Tampa.
“It’s about being part of something bigger than just a restaurant,” Rios said.
That work includes refining individual concepts while building teams to support growth across the company and contribute to Tampa’s evolving dining scene.
The restaurant is also preparing a special menu featuring the original 1905 Oysters Rockefeller recipe, part of an effort to incorporate historical dishes into the dining experience.
The updated menu at Boulon marks the first phase as the group continues to refine its concepts and build its culinary teams.
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