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Dining out at home

Staff photo by KATHY MOORE

Careme's Market, a gourmet market that recently opened on N FLorida Avenue in Lutz offers prepared foods for busy customers.

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By LENORA LAKE

llake@tampatrib.com

Published: October 21, 2009

LUTZ - Although Careme's Market has tables for dining, the owners are just as happy if people take their food and go home.

"The whole concept is restaurant-quality food you can enjoy in your home," said Dan Gonzalez, president of the recently opened gourmet market.

The market, at 16319 N. Florida Ave., is named for Marie-Antoine Careme, who lived from 1784 to 1833 and was an early practitioner of the high art of French cooking .

Careme's main courses include heat-and-eat chicken parmesan, shrimp scampi, vegetable or meat lasagna, Korean ribs and the signature dish, smoked prime rib. Vegetables include green beans, broccoli and twice-baked potatoes. Salads and a variety of desserts, including cheesecake and raspberry, mango and other flavored gelato, also are available.

Main dish prices range from $5.99 a pound for herb-roasted chicken to $19.99 a pound for the ribs. Side dishes range from $3.99 a pound for German potato salad to $8.99 a pound for grilled asparagus.

A variety of deli sandwiches, from $4.99 to $5.99, as well as sliced meat and cheese for purchase by the pound are available. Snacks, fresh vegetables, sauces and gift baskets are for sale, as well as beer and wine.

The 4,200-square-foot market had a soft opening Oct. 1; its Nov. 7 grand opening will include food samples, music and children's activities.

Within days of opening, Gonzalez and his partners began seeing repeat customers, including Helen and Byron Swisshelm of Lutz. They had a late lunch recently of Cuban sandwiches.

"The food we started out with was very good," Helen Swisshelm said, adding they had also tried cannoli and rice pudding. "Also, the atmosphere is very, very friendly."

That atmosphere is essential to the success, said partner Gary Wolverton, who describes his role as the "Chief Evangelist For Really Neat Stuff."

Wolverton said friendliness and manners were considered when the 15-member staff was hired. Their shoppers are not customers, they are guests.

"Our philosophy is we hire attitude; I can't teach you to smile," Wolverton said.

Wolverton also added little touches such as free spins on a slot machine, a singing chef's crew, decorations and a little cardboard chef that is hidden daily. Children who find it get a prize.

The idea for the market began in March when Gonzalez and his wife, Sandra, decided they wanted to fulfill a longtime dream to have a food-related business. Sandra Gonzalez's parents had owned and operated Mercedes Cafeteria in Ybor City for nearly 40 years.

Tampa natives and married for 41 years, the couple graduated from Jefferson High School in 1964 and attended the University of South Florida where they became friends with Wolverton. In recent years, Wolverton had been in the casino industry in New Mexico and wanted to return to Tampa. A casino industry chef, Bill Wiener, also was looking for a change.

They all started researching the area, looking at food markets in nearby cities and designing the business they wanted. The area has a number of two-income families with children, and the "median income is pretty good," Dan Gonzalez said.

They also knew a number of people because Sandra Gonzalez had taught at Lutz Elementary for many years. She now teaches at Pride Elementary in New Tampa, and they live in Pasco County's Meadow Pointe.

"Seven months later, the doors opened and we got 150 people in the door the first day," Dan Gonzalez said.

Wiener oversees the food selection and preparation. He said 60 percent to 70 percent of the menu will remain the same, and the other selections will vary depending upon requests and the season.

Michelle Koster, an Avila resident, stopped in recently for a chicken salad sandwich.

"I'm definitely going to be back to shop," Koster said. "They have little specialty things like frozen clams and the spices."

Correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 259-7662.

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