Founder-Led Scaling Platform Tests Licensing Model Chef & The Baker, the Tampa bakery-café known for defeating Bobby Flay on Food Network, has signed its first licensing agreement. Flour Street Group, a New York–based hospitality operating group, will develop and operate a 2,200-square-foot location in the city's West River district, slated to open in November 2026. The deal represents the first test of RC Hospitality Group's operator-led scaling strategy. RC Hospitality, founded by Maria Rivera—former President of Krispy Kreme U.S., where she grew the brand's U.S. revenue from roughly $300 million to roughly $1 billion—builds and scales founder-led hospitality concepts through vetted operating partners rather than company-owned expansion. "Licensing Chef & The Baker was never about putting a logo in a new location. It was about proving that a brand built on craft and culture can scale without losing either. Flour Street is exactly the kind of operating partner we built RC Hospitality to work with — people who understand that discipline is what protects the magic. This is the first of many, and it sets the standard for how we grow," Rivera said.
Location and Design Located at 1103 W Main St. in West River—one of Tampa's fastest-growing districts—the venue will be Chef & The Baker's largest to date. The approximately 2,200-square-foot space will unite expanded production and retail alongside intimate indoor seating, an expansive outdoor courtyard and terrace, dedicated grab-and-go areas, and artisan bread and pastry displays. Global food and beverage design firm LIVIT Design led the design, with Tampa-based SOL Design serving as architect of record.
Partnership Rationale David Candelaria, CEO of Flour Street Group, emphasized the strategic fit: "We looked at a lot of concepts before we committed to one. Chef & The Baker stood out because it's both beloved and built to scale — the rare brand with real soul and real operating rigor behind it. Partnering with RC Hospitality and bringing LIVIT's design vision to West River let us build something we're proud of. This is a meaningful bet for our group, and we made it with full conviction." Rivera co-founded RC Hospitality alongside her sister Rosana Rivera, a chef and Food Network competitor who helped establish Chef & The Baker. The platform previously invested in growth-stage brands including Starbird and Smalls Sliders. Additional licensed Chef & The Baker units are under discussion.
Why It Matters
The licensing model signals a shift in how founder-led, culturally rooted F&B concepts pursue multi-unit growth without diluting brand identity or operational standards. For operators evaluating partnerships with emerging platforms, the deal underscores how disciplined systems and vetted franchisees can coexist with craft-driven positioning.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
