Cooper Levey-Baker has written about food, politics, civic issues, the arts, and music in Southwest Florida for 15 years. His work has won multiple awards from the Florida Magazine Association and the Florida Society of Professional Journalists, as well as an honorable mention from the Julia Child Foundation. Follow him on Twitter: @LeveyBaker.

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Two Former Ritz-Carlton Pastry Chefs Are Competing on the Food Network

Lyndsy Velasquez and Amy McBride teamed up to make a "scary sci-fi" chocolate sculpture for Chocolate Meltdown: Hershey's After Dark.

10/01/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Q&A

With His New Book, Donald Antrim Wants to Change How We Think About Suicide

Antrim, who was born in Sarasota in 1958, has published three novels, a short story collection and a memoir. His new book, "One Friday in April: A Story of Suicide and Survival," comes out later this month.

10/01/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

How We've Changed

Thanks to Covid, We're Talking About Our Mental Health More

And it's young people who are leading the way.

09/29/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

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Florida's Minimum Wage Rises to $10 Thursday

The increase is the first step toward an eventual $15 minimum wage.

09/29/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

You Love to See It

Sarasota's Seasonal Farmers' Markets Are Returning Soon

Markets are starting up for the season in Bradenton, Sarasota and south Sarasota County.

09/27/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

New Noodles

A Restaurant Is Bringing Its Fast-Casual Approach to Pasta to St. Armands Circle

DalMoros Fresh Pasta to Go will open early next year.

09/24/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

All Good Things Must Come to an End

The Final Season of Claws Starts Right After Christmas

How will all the dangling plot threads be resolved? You'll have your answers soon.

09/24/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

I'm a Boba Boy in a Boba World

Here's Where to Get Great Boba in the Sarasota Area

Seven places that will satisfy your bubble tea craving.

09/24/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Rising

Five-O Donut Co. Is Coming to Bradenton Next Year

And that's on top of the new location near University Town Center that is scheduled to open in early 2022.

09/23/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Fake It Till You Make It

Beyond the Beyond Burger: Taste-Testing Plant-Based Seafood Substitutes

You can find vegan "crab" cakes, "fish" fillets and chunky "tuna" in a number of local grocery stores.

09/22/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Restaurant Review

Ka Papa, in Southside Village, Offers Vegan Cuisine in a Fine-Dining Setting

Ka Papa isn't just a quality addition to Sarasota’s growing list of vegan dining options. It’s one of the city’s best new restaurants, period.

09/20/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Vive la France!

A Unique Sarasota Club Gathers to Celebrate the Wines of Bordeaux

The local chapter of the international Commanderie de Bordeaux hosts regular dinners that highlight specific varieties of Bordeaux wines.

09/17/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

That's Amore

Nine Great Kinds of Pizza From Around the World

Consider this your pizza style guide.

09/15/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Spend wisely

New Blog Series Offers Tips on 'Grocery Shopping for Your Health'

The Sarasota County office of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is taking you on a tour of your neighborhood supermarket.

09/15/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker