By Mark Albright, Times Staff Writer
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Red Elephant Cafe that opens in South Tampa next week is among the few pachyderm-related local events this year not related to the GOP convention.
It's yet another restaurant chain created by former executives from Outback Steakhouse.
"Once you get in the restaurant business, it stays in your blood; so opening new ones is what you do," said Carl Sahlsten, onetime senior vice president of real estate at Outback and president of its Carrabba's chain before becoming a partner in Tallahasse-based Red Elephant LLC in 2006.
It's one of a list of chains run locally by Outback ex-pats including LifeFit Foods, Lee Roy Selmon, PDQ, World of Beer and the two-store Carmel Cafe, which Outback co-founder Chris Sullivan plans to open down the street at the corner of Himes, Henderson and Swan in August.
Founded by ...