St. Petersburg Times columnist Ernest Hooper strives to be a voice of the community by connecting with readers on a regular basis. You can connect with him one-on-one during lunch at Tampa's Mise En Place.

Join Ernest for a fabulous lunch at one of Tampa's premier restaurants for modern American cuisine. Chat with Ernest while you choose from the regional and cultural dishes renowned chef Marty Blitz brings together with imaginative flair.

Ernest Hooper brings a blend of experiences to his role as metro columnist for the Times.

He was born and raised in Tallahassee, and he graduated from the University of Florida. Yes, he's that rare breed known as a Tallahassee Gator.

Ernest is a general news columnist, but spent the first 15 years of his career as a sports writer, including a four-year stint as the paper's NFL writer.

Now in his 22nd year as a journalist, and his seventh as a columnist, he files three pieces a week for the Times' Tampa and State edition and a fourth for the Times' South Shore and Brandon edition.