MARYANN FERENC

CO-FOUNDER, MISE EN PLACE RESTAURANT, TAMPA

Tampa’s restaurant scene hit its stride during the past decade, but for years Mise en Place served as an oasis of fine dining in an otherwise downtown desert. Ferenc, who grew up bussing tables in her parents’ Detroit restaurant, started Mise en Place as a small catering business in 1986 after moving to Florida. She opened the restaurant just across the Hillsborough River from downtown six years later. Offering “innovative modern cuisine that is rooted in the French,” Ferenc’s restaurant remains popular with business leaders as well as diners out for a good meal. Travelers also can enjoy The Cafe by Mise en Place at Tampa International Airport. Ferenc is an advocate for small business through her service with the Tampa Bay Chamber and Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing arm. She was named to Hillsborough County’s Women’s Hall of Fame in 2019.