Two popular Tampa restaurants are coming to University Town Center in early 2026. On Swann, a contemporary American restaurant with a seasonal menu, and Olivia, an Italian restaurant, are both owned by James Beard-nominated chef Chris Ponte. 

“I think our concept will fit in really well,” Ponte says. “We want to share what we’re doing in Tampa with the people of Sarasota. It’s pretty easy to want to get into a partnership with Benderson. They’re first class and they do really cool things, and so do we.”

Ponte says that his Sarasota restaurants will share the same menu as their Tampa counterparts, with rotating chef-led specials alongside permanent options.

“We do switch up the menus seasonally a little bit,” he says. “But we have a lot of favorites we also stick with year-round.”

Olivia, which is named after Ponte’s daughter, is his third restaurant. Like On Swann, the original is located in Tampa, and a third location will open in St. Petersburg in the near future. With the two new Sarasota spots and a waterfront spot he’s working on in Tampa, that means Ponte will soon be leading eight area restaurants. 

“Things have really ramped up in the last five years, not just for me but for the culinary scene in general,” he says. “There is so much more ingredient availability and the food businesses has exploded—not just in Tampa Bay, but across the country. And then, when we start talking about Michelin coming to Florida, I think it’s pretty amazing.”

He attributes his successes to his and his team’s focus on consistency, execution and training.

“We try to promote from within and we're always grooming our chefs and our service staff to move up,” he says. “We’re big on developing and prefer growth based on performance. If you work hard, you move up. Ultimately, it’s better for us, as well. Guests don't like to go on a roller coaster ride where a dish was great one day and not good the next. Having a team that is so invested helps us make sure we are executing the menu properly.”

As far as that menu, guests can expect dishes like wagyu beef carpaccio, honey and ham pizza, lemon fettuccine with Maine lobster (pictured at top) and Italian-esque proteins at Olivia. On Swann, meanwhile, leans into small plates infused with Mediterranean flavors, like lamb meatballs over grits, a fig tart with prosciutto, and scallops with a bacon aioli. 

Ponte also insists that none of his success would be possible without his entire family. His wife, Michelle Mahoney, is deeply involved in the business, and his adult sons JT and Andy are business partners.

“My daughter Olivia has the best job, though," Ponte says with a laugh. "We just used her name."