TAMPA, Florida (AP) ― In the past, the Tampa Bay region hasn’t been high on a foodie’s travel bucket list. Sure, there are some tasty Cuban sandwiches in Tampa and fresh grouper in restaurants along the Gulf of Mexico.

But cutting-edge culinary trends haven’t surfaced here ― until now.

The Epicurean Hotel, a $35 million, 137-room hotel, opened on Tuesday. The entire concept revolves around food: There’s an 80-seat restaurant, patisserie, culinary theater, wine store, rooftop bar and cooking classes in a theater that looks like it’s a Food Network set. While a vacation centered around food is nothing new in Napa wine country, rustic Vermont or romantic Tuscany, it’s a fresh idea in Florida.

Guests have personal pantries in their rooms stocked with gourmet goodies, including chocolate and sea salt caramels, prosciutto, goat cheese and bottles of wine ― including a handout that explains which wines go best with each snack.