Presented by Food & Wine, the 11th annual Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival takes place February 23 – February 26, 2012 against the backdrop of glamorous South Beach, in Miami, Florida.
Known as America’s most prestigious gourmet gathering, the festival features the well-known names of Bourdain, Zimmern, Lagasse, Irvine and Fieri alongside some of the best chefs, winemakers, culinary personalities and wine and spirits experts in the country.
Proceeds from the South Beach Food Festival benefit students of the Florida International University (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. FIU students assist Festival organizers with sponsorship fulfillment, restaurant and exhibitor recruitment, logistics and inventory, as well as working alongside some of the world’s greatest celebrity chefs and winemakers.
The Vice-President of Corporate Communications and National Events at Southern Wine and Spirits of America said,
“Celebrating the milestone of our 10th year at the 2011 Festival was truly extraordinary. I believe the 2012 program features a number of fresh and exciting changes as well as those events that have become fan-favorites over the years.
A complete line-up of events and participating talent for the 2012 Festival is available at sobefest.com. A few new events and returning highlights include:
- Thursday, Feb. 23 - Festival kick-off beachside at the Delano with Moet Hennessy’s The Q presented by Allen Brothers. The event is sponsored by Miami Magazine and hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri. For those who wish to partake in a late-night experience, The Q will also feature its own after-party, The Q After Dark.
- Friday, Feb. 24 – The Amstel Light Burger Bash, presented by Allen Brothers and hosted by Rachael Ray, at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach and the eighth annual Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best sponsored by Bank of America
- Friday, Feb. 24 – Epicure Gourmet Market presents Party Impossible hosted by Robert Irvine at the stunning 1111 Lincoln Road.
- Saturday, Feb. 25 – The Festival is offering the public its first sneak-peek at the new Miami Marlins Ballpark during Diamond Dishes, featuring host Julie Loria, author of the cookbook, Diamond Dishes and wife of Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, for an exclusive evening of VIP experiences and a walk-around dinner from South Florida’s finest chefs, which includes Michelle Bernstein, Scott Conant, Hedy Goldsmith and Laurent Tourondell.
- Saturday, Feb. 25 – The 2012 Tribute Dinner presented by Bank of America takes place at the beautiful Loews Miami Beach. It honors the world’s greatest wine and culinary talent by paying tribute to esteemed chef Charlie Trotter and celebrated winemaker Piero Antinori. Anthony Bourdain, author and host of the Travel channel series No Reservations, will serve as the master of ceremonies. A “who’s who” of chefs will be preparing the dinner, including Emeril Lagasse, Wylie Dufresne, Michelle Gayer, Nathan Myhrvoid, Patrick O’Connell, Norman Van Aken and Frederic Delaire of the Loews Miami Beach.
- Sunday, Feb. 26 – The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables will be home to Swine & Wine, hosted by culinary power couple Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos who will take the treasured tradition of Cuban pig roasting to gourmet heights.
- Sunday, Feb. 26 – The hottest trends in food will round out the festival with Trucks on the Beach presented by Diet Pepsi and hosted by Andrew Zimmern. This event doubles as the official Festival Closing party.
The Festival’s signature Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village, featuring the American Express Grand Tasting Tents, returns with a mix of tastings, superstar chefs and lots of fun.
The family-oriented program Florida Blue’s Fun and Fit as a Family, featuring Kellogg’s Kidz Kitchen, takes place a Jungle Island with healthy food tastings, physical fitness activities, interactive food labs and star-studded healthy cooking demonstrations.
Tickets are now available for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. To buy tickets or to get more information, please call (877) 762-3933 or visit 2012.sobefest.com.
For Richmond road-trippers with their sights set on the glitz, glamour and gourmet events of the South Beach Food Festival, Miami, FL is approximately 947 miles from Richmond and about a 15-hour drive. If you prefer the magic of flight, American Airlines offers non-stop flights from Richmond (RIC) to Miami International Airport (MIA). In just under two hours, you can be on the ground and on your way to South Beach.
The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, presented by FOOD & WINE, is produced by Florida International University and Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.
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