Chef Nils Tarantik grew up absorbing diverse cultural backgrounds—born in Enfield, England to a Swedish mother and German father that encouraged him to taste and enjoy the culinary dishes of the world. Growing up watching both his Mormor (grandmother) and mother in awe as they created European classics, he was exposed to novelty cooking styles and embraced various worldly flavors/cuisine. Their motto: "Try it once, and then you can say you don't like it." This saying became the basis for Chef Nils' culinary exploration, taking him to Johnson & Wales University where he honed his skills and his passion to create gourmet food. Upon graduating, Chef Nils worked his way through the ranks at various New England country clubs and local restaurants, ultimately earning the position of Executive Chef at multiple locations. His desire to learn, create, and challenge himself had not dissipated, so this jacketed talent found himself heading south—to Sarasota. He initially joined the team at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse as a Sous Chef, absorbing everything the 'corporate world' of culinary arts had to offer.

But thankfully for us local foodies, the creative juices began to flow in his veins again and he decided to walk away from the comforts of corporate restaurants. Fully immersing himself in the experimental/creation process again, Chef Nils joined the team at Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood. at the end of 2012. The man’s been staying busy and heating up multiple kitchens around town ever since—having developed and expanded the menu at Duval's, while maintaining the focus of sourcing local produce and fish from our region. And most recently, he jumped on the opportunity to expand with his partners of American Dreams Restaurant Group, by hungrily adding PBn'T and then Element to their diverse portfolio. Being able to switch hats from a casual hangout for pizza, burgers and tacos, to the upscale dining of a modern mediterranean grill only emphasizes how multifaceted this versatile flame thrower is.   

“I am excited to introduce Element as the newest addition to the Sarasota restaurant scene. We have worked hard to create a unique experience that encompasses all of the elements of a truly memorable meal. Every dish on the menu has a story and I really wanted to represent how food, like life, is made up of so many individual ingredients. I want to represent how those ingredients are transformed into the food we love and the memories we cherish. Our riffs on classic mediterranean favorites along with our immersive atmosphere, are meant to seduce the senses and entice the palate of all our guests.” -Chef Nils.

Element is a member of Nosh, SRQ Magazine's content marketing program for local restaurants. 

Element, 1413 Main St., Sarasota, 941-724-8585