SOBE Wine & Food Festival Guide
It's officially called the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, but in reality, it's an all-you-can-eat and drink fest with a variety of high-priced events in and around South Florida. From the sold-out, ever-popular Burger Bash hosted by Rachael Ray to the numerous VIP cocktail receptions, February 24th through February 27th promises to be a food lover's paradise.
Now, in its 10th year, the Wine & Food Festival is a national, four-day event showcasing the talents of the world's most renowned wine and spirits producers, star chefs and culinary personalities.
At the end of the day, it's all for a good cause. Proceeds from the festival go to Florida International University's School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.
Thursday, February 24
- The Amstel Light Burger Bash presented by Allen Brothers
6:15 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton on South Beach, One Lincoln Road in Miami Beach.
Festivities kick off with Rachael Ray hosting . Although tickets are sold-out, it's one of the most popular events. For those lucky enough to have tickets, the event will begin with a VIP reception. - Brilliance of France, an ode to French cuisine
The Biltmore Hotel from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
It will be filled with a Napoleonic-inspired dinner, will be headlined by celebrated Chef Philippe Ruiz of the Biltmore Hotel along with Chef Pascal Nibaudeau of The Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux and Chef Jean-Marie Gautier of the Hotel du Palais in Biarritz. To be held at - Original MOONSHINE presents SHINE & SWINE hosted by Master BBQ Chef Adam Perry Lang
From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the W South Beach, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
Mixes bartenders serving up cocktails to match a variety of pork dishes
Friday, February 25
- Crystal Clear: Does the Glass Make a Difference?
Hosted by Maximillian Riedel from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Gansevoort, 2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
This event explores the age-old question if the shape or type of glass makes a difference when tasting wine. - Ultimate Beginnings Wine & Cheese Party
Hosted by Josh Wesson and Laura Werlin from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach.
The wine and cheese experts will help diners select the perfect wine and cheese pairings. - Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator's "Best of the Best"
Sponsored by Bank of America from 7:30 to 11 p.m. at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 4441 Collins Avenue.
Those attending this event will be treated to samples of a variety of signature dishes from 50 of the country's top restaurants all while sipping wine you won't find on just any list. - Perrier-Jouët BubbleQ
Hosted by Bobby Flay & Friends sponsored by Miami Magazine from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Delano Beachside, 1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
This event features barbecues in every possible incarnation paired with bubbly. - Moët Hennessy USA presents SoBe's 10th Anniversary Party Let Them Eat Cake
Hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart sponsored by Ocean Drive Magazine from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at 1111 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach.
This event will center around the 10th annual celebration of the festival with a cookbook Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Cookbook: Recipes and Behind-the-Scenes Stories from America's Hottest Chefs featuring more than 100 recipes and dozens of never before told antecedes from the chefs that put the SoBe Festival on the map. - Dim Sum & Disco at The Setai
Hosted by Ming Tsai from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Setai Hotel, 2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Expect fairgoers to dance away the calories while treating themselves to the taste of the buns, dumplings and spring rolls.
Saturday, February 26
- Kohl's presents Fun and Fit as a Family
Featuring Kellogg's Kidz Kitchen, which is a great event for families. It runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Jungle Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami.
The Festival's family-friendly event also lets parents and kids learn the basics of healthy eating up close with Food Network celebrity chefs Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Rocco DiSpirito, and many more. - Wine Spectator Wine Seminar Series "A" at Gansevoort South, Ballroom North
2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach begins from 10 a.m. until 12:40 p.m.
The event caters to those who want to understand wine and take the experience of wine tasting to a whole new level. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: Grape Nuts! Crazy Good Brunch Wines
Featuring Josh Wesson & Blue Ribbon from 11 a.m. to noon at the W South Beach, Room 1 at 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
Move over, mimosas! Where there's smoked salmon, bagels and eggs, there's a bottle of wine guaranteed to make the whole schmear taste that much more delicious. - Dolce Brunch Hosted by Gail Simmons and Michael White
Blue Door at Delano, 1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Guests will be treated to "liquid gold" Dolce wine. - Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village (Culinary & Lifestyle Seminars & American Express rand Tasting)
From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 13th Street and Ocean Drive in Miami Beach.
This will feature morsels of delectable culinary delights and fine wine and spirits. For its 10th anniversary, the festival is dedicating a pavilion to the "Experience Italy" tent which will showcase some of Italy's finest wines as well as a wide range of specialty food products. - Barilla Interactive Cooking Lunch
Country Club Ballroom at Biltmore, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables from noon to 2:30 p.m.
Bryan Voltaggio and Claire Robinson teach festival goers how to cook up a full-course meal based on their specialties. Bryan was a Top Chef Season 6 contestant and Claire found success with her 5 Ingredient Fix show on the Food Network and a recently released cookbook by the same name. South Florida Radio personality Paul Castronovo from the Paul & Young Ron Morning show will unveil his Castronovo wine brand from his own vineyard in Italy. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: Grilled Cheese Pairing Seminar with Laura Werlin
From noon to 1 p.m. at the W South Beach, Room 2, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
The Kindergarten Classic Grows-up - Grilled cheese in all its melted, oozing glory finally gets its due at the festival. Munching on this American standard while sharing a glass of fine wine might sound like a brave idea gone bad. Laura Werlin, however, elevates the humble lunchtime staple to a whole new level by featuring artisanal cheeses with plenty of topping twists. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: Making Great Cocktails at Home hosted by Tony Abou-Ganim
From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the W South Beach, Room 1, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Featuring how to stock your home bar and the secrets behind mixing unforgettable drinks at home. - Wine Spectator Seminar: A Vertical Tasting of Joseph Phelps Insignia
From 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. at Gansevoort South, 2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Featuring the wine that blends traditional Bordeaux grape varieties at a California winery. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: From the Garden to the Glass - Cocktail Clinic with Zane Lamprey
From 2 to 3 p.m. at W South Beach, Room 2, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
This event targets those who have an ongoing quest for fresh, organic, and non-processed ingredients – a fascination that can also be extended to your home bar. - Wine Spectator Wine Seminar Series "B"
From 2:45 to 5:25 p.m. at Gansevoort South, Ballroom North, 2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Featuring a wine tasting seminar aimed at awakening your knowledge of specific wines and identify the qualities of each that most appeal to you. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: Danny Meyer Shake Shack Seminar
From 3 to 4 p.m. at W South Beach, Room 1, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Features a modern day roadside burger stand serving the most sought after burgers, hot dogs, shakes, beer and wine. - Barilla Interactive Cooking Dinner: Chopped hosted by Ted Allen with Marc Murphy and Alex Guarnaschelli
From 7 to 11 p.m. at the Country Club Ballroom at Biltmore, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables
This event is perfect for those who have sweated and suffered along with the contestants on Food Network's popular Chopped, which challenges cooks on how to prepare a three-course meal fast and from unlikely paired foods. - Wine + Dine + Design presented by Gilt Group
From 7 to 11 p.m. at the Miami Design District, which includes the streets along NE 38th Street and North Miami Avenue.
It's home to Michael's Genuine Food & Drink and the event will allow festival goers to gather and enjoy appetizers and aperitifs. - Thrillist's BBQ & The Blues hosted by Tyler Florence
Begins at 7 to 11 p.m. at Oasis at The Raleigh Hotel, 1775 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
Join Thrillist, host and Food Network Star Tyler Florence, and top Miami chefs for inspired new takes on one of earth's oldest delights: smoked meat. - Tribute Dinner Honoring Alain Ducasse presented by Bank of America
From 7 to 11 p.m. at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, 1601 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
A Who's Who of chefs for a gala dinner orchestrated in honor of one of the world's most revered culinary masters and emceed by actress and winemaker Carole Bouquet. Alain Ducasse, who cooked at the festival's first tribute dinner in 2002, will take a seat at the head table ten years later. - Italian in Paradise hosted by Giada De Laurentiis
From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, One Lincoln Road, Miami Beach.
The place where superstar Chef Giada De Laurentiis introduces guests to Italian delicacies with the help of some of her favorite Italian chefs from all over the United States. - Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate at the Beach hosted by Duff Goldman sponsored by Miami New Times
From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, One Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
This will answersthe question you may (or may not) ponder from time to time: What do the biggest food stars, chefs and celebrities eat & drink while on vacation? Answers will be revealed at this event.
Sunday February 27
- Kohl's presents Fun and Fit as a Family featuring Kellogg's Kidz Kitchen
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Jungle Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami
Features the basics of healthy eating up close with Food Network celebrity chefs Guy Fieri, Tyler Florence, and many more. - Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village (Culinary & Lifestyle Seminars and American Express Grand Tasting)
From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 13th Street and Ocean Drive
This event includes the American Express Grand Tasting from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. with a seemingly never-ending array of wines and spirits from some of the world's finest producers and delightful desserts presented by some of South Florida's greatest restaurants. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: The Bellas of the North – Italian Cheese & Wine from the North of Italy hosted by Laura Werlin and Andrea Robinson
From 11 a.m. to noon features cheese guru Laura Werlin and Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson for a fragrantly fermented tasting through Northern Italy. - Taste Wine like a Master Sommelier
From 11 to 12:30 p.m. at Gansevoort South, Beach Club, 2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Features master sommeliers who have attained special distinction in the industry through their ability to discriminate between wines and to understand the subtleties and nuances that make a particular selection especially suited to a particular meal or activity. - Michael's Genuine Food & Drink Brunch at Sea with Guest Chef Jonathan Waxman
From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on board the Biscayne Lady Yacht, which departs from 555 NE 15th Street, Miami.
The Festival is setting sail for the first time ever with Miami's most beautiful views and famed brunch as the backdrop. The Biscayne Lady yacht will host the Michael's Genuine Food & Drink Brunch at Sea as James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Schwartz and Pastry Chef Hedy Goldsmith join the culinary legend and master of simplicity himself, Jonathan Waxman of New York City's Barbuto for a delectable floating feast. - Paula's Down Home Cookin' Sunday Gospel Brunch hosted by Paula Deen
From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, 1601 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
A perfect chance to meet Paula Deen and get down to some eatin' in the style she knows best. Based on the success of last year's brunch, Paula has decided to do it all over again! - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: Thomas Buckley and Josh Wesson Seminar
From noon to 1 p.m. at the W South Beach, Room 2, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Promises to take the sushi experience to new heights. Ultimate wine personality Joshua Wesson of Best Cellars and Thomas Buckley of Nobu, join forces to show you which grapes bring out the best in your favorite sushi. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: Chasing Ernest Hemingway with Tony Abou-Ganim
From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the W South Beach, Room 1, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
Tony Abou-Ganim explores the haunts of Nobel-Prize winning writer Ernest Hemingway. - Ancestry & Artistry: A Tasting Journey with Marc Antinori of the Family's Iconic Wines
From 1 to 2 p.m. at the Gansevoort Miami Beach, 2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Gives guests the opportunity to experience the Antinori family's passion for winemaking and innovation with wine legend Marchese Piero Antinori. - Wine Spectator Wine Seminar Series "C"
From 2:30 to 5:10 p.m. at the Gansevoort South, Ballroom North, 2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Invites those who seek a serious education in the finer things in life, whether novices or aficionados, to its teaching tastings. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: Prohibition Cocktails Clinic with Zane Lamprey
From 2 to 3 p.m. at the W South Beach, Room 2, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Focuses on the history of prohibition, which led to an exciting subculture of secret bars. - Bank of America Lifestyle Seminars: Godiva Chocolate & Wine Pairing with Andrea Robinson
From 3 to 4 p.m. at W South Beach, Room 1, 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Takes the pleasure one step further with the addition of the perfect wine for sipping with chocolate led by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson. - Festival Closing Party hosted by Guy Fieri
From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Gansevoort South, Beach Club, 2377 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
A night to wind down the festival by getting down with the celebrity chefs who made the 2011 festival a success. Featured drinks will include a variety of custom cocktails a long side small bites and endless entertainment!
