HM Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and Dixie Fish Company, has hired Brian O’Brien as executive chef. With more than 40 years of culinary experience, O’Brien will oversee the kitchen operations across all locations of the award-winning restaurants to ensure quality, flavor and consistency.
“Brian is an exciting addition to our team and, like us, shares a deep-rooted passion for scratch kitchens and fresh made-in-house cooking,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group. “He’s creative, energetic and brings decades of experience to our culinary team.”
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, O’Brien worked for Doc Ford’s in 2010. He has since owned and operated several restaurants specializing in fresh fish, earning a reputation for bold flavors and an unwavering commitment to quality.
“This feels like a homecoming for me and I look forward to creating new menu items while focusing on the dishes that make Doc Ford’s and Dixie Fish Company a favorite for locals and visitors,” said O’Brien. “I’m inspired by the HM Restaurant Group team, the company’s culture and its dedication to a diverse scratch menu highlighing the best of coastal and Caribbean flavors.”
Beloved for legendary guest experiences and great food, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and Dixie Fish Company are open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Doc Ford’s is known for mouth-watering sauces, spices and fresh seafood featuring Caribbean Rum flavors, including its signature Yucatan shrimp. A local favorite for residents and visitors alike, Doc Ford’s offers four locations, including Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, Jungle Terrace in St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Pier. A perennial Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner, the pier restaurant was named the No. 1 restaurant in the country on the global travel site’s Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats for 2023.
Visit docfords.com for menus and locations.
Recognized as a 2023 Yelp Top 100 Florida Restaurant and ranked Tripadvisor’s No. 1 of 73 Fort Myers Beach restaurants, Dixie Fish Company is revered for delicious fresh fish in an ideal waterfront location complemented by a beach atmosphere, complete with live music and picturesque views overlooking scenic Matanzas Pass. An original Florida fishhouse, the restaurant’s origins date back to 1937 when it was primarily a fish market.
Visit dixiefishfmb.com for menus.
HM Restaurant Group is also developing Bonita Fish Company at the waterfront site formerly home to Bonita Bill’s.
