Ed Chiles was born in Lakeland, Florida, to the late Governor Lawton Chiles and Rhea Chiles. A passion for all things Floridian was instilled in him at an early age. An avid outdoorsman, his favorite childhood memories are roaming the Northern Florida woods hunting with his father. The family always had a passion for cooking, especially when it came to the local game, seafood, and favorite southern fixings. They are still known to spend meals “talking about what they are going to eat next.” He also carried on another proud Chiles family tradition by graduating from The University of Florida.

Ed owned and operated three restaurants under the Chiles Group umbrella on Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, Florida. The historic flagship, Sandbar Seafood & Spirits, opened in 1979, followed by Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub in 1990 and Beach House Waterfront Restaurant in 1993. Each restaurant was a model in sustainable dining, with menus featuring locally-sourced Florida fare from a network of specialty producers that shared the vision. In 2021, Ed acquired Gamble Creek Farms, located in nearby Parrish, FL. A leader in permaculture farming, Gamble Creek Farms grows and provides unique strains of produce to restaurants, as well as the local community through its market.

An internationally recognized leader in sustainability, Ed Chiles has been a driving force for best practices in his local community, gulf region, state of Florida and around the world. He works closely with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on sustainability initiatives, as his hospitality group was designated as the first Global Observatory for Sustainable Tourism. Ed lends his expertise and resources through his involvement in several community and regional organizations. He serves on the Gulf Seafood Foundation board to promote tourism and the historic culture of the coast. He is also a founding member of Solutions to Avoid Red Tide (START), and board member of Gulf Shellfish Institute. The latter includes leading the recent creation of the All Clams on Deck initiative, which encourages the use of hard-shell clams to continuously filter the waters of Tampa Bay while absorbing harmful excess nutrients and algae responsible for red tide.

An avid fly-fisher and hunter, Ed spends time with his wife Tina between Anna Maria Island and Montana. His two daughters, Ashley and Christin, and grandson, Chiles, continue to fuel his emphatic support of immediate and decisive action to ensure future generations can enjoy our environment and natural resources.