South Beach Wine & Food Festival celebrates 25 years, local talent
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The food always looks this tasty at SOBEWFF. Photo: Courtesy SOBEWFF
The South Beach Wine and Food Festival is celebrating 25 years by uplifting the chefs and businesses that've participated throughout the years, particularly those from South Florida.
Why it matters: The four-day event, which has grown into one of the largest food festivals in the country, kicks off Feb. 19.
- It's one of Miami's standout annual events, attracting people from across the world to sample food and experience the latest culinary happenings.
What they're saying: Every event features food, drinks and entertainment, and "we really try to make sure that every event incorporates talent," Ashley Shapiro, senior director of the festival's programming, told Axios.
- "There's an interactive component that you don't get from other events."
Yes, but: While many know the festival for its celebrity chefs and Food Network stars, the majority of the chefs and restaurants participating are local.
- More than 80% of the festival's talent are South Florida restaurants and chefs, Andrea Moreno, the festival's assistant director of marketing and communications, told Axios.
Meanwhile, similar to years past, the "backbone of our walk-around [tasting] events" throughout the weekend — think Burger Bash, Asian Night Market — are all led by local restaurants, she said.
- Plus, this year's intimate dinner series, which pairs local restaurants and chefs with celebrity chefs or others from out of state, features more than 34 intimate dinners at Miami restaurants all weekend long.
Between the lines: The festival this year is also honoring Michelle Bernstein, who's been with the festival since Day 1 and is one of the biggest names to come out of Miami.
- Bernstein, of Sra. Martinez, will be the first South Florida chef to be honored at the festival's annual tribute dinner Feb. 21, per The Miami Herald.
Zoom in: To celebrate the milestone, the festival is kicking off the weekend with a performance by Diplo at the Grand Tasting Village, which has never been used for a nighttime event.
- The festival will also feature a new dessert walk-around party, an event celebrating Afro-Caribbean cuisines, and a family barbecue in Kendall, featuring Miami-based Apocalypse BBQ.
Zoom out: Burger Bash is also reaching a milestone: This event, which Miami burger joints have historically dominated (Skinny Louie took home the top prize last year; Cowy Burger the year prior), is celebrating 20 years.
- The event will be hosted by Rachel Ray and Brooklyn Beckham on Feb. 19.
The intrigue: The festival is largely made possible through its strong ties with Florida International University.
- More than 1,200 students from the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management are involved in running the festival and 100% of the festival proceeds go to the school, said Moreno.
- Plus, the majority of the festival's full-time staff are also Chaplin grads, including Moreno and Shapiro.
"We're probably one of the only events in the country that gives students who are studying hospitality and events the opportunity to get real, hands-on work," Moreno said.