One of the year's most highly anticipated weekends is finally upon us. For the 13th year in a row, the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE will bring the finest names in the wine and culinary industries to South Florida. The festival runs Thursday, Feb. 20th through Sunday, Feb. 23rd and features more tastings, sips and brushes with celebrity chefs than the average foodie can hope to encounter in a year's time, much less one weekend. Below is a breakdown of this year’s not-to-be-missed moments. While many of the star-studded events have been sold out for months, there are still tickets available for a few of our favorites. See what's still available here.
The Q
One of the pinnacle events every year is Moët Hennessy's The Q presented by Creekstone Farms, which is being sponsored by MIAMI magazine and hosted by Michael Symon featuring the 2014 Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, who are plastered on the pages of the 50th anniversary Swimsuit edition of the magazine. The irony of hard-bodied swim suit models participating in this meat fest is not lost on us. However, in addition to the eye candy, a gathering of the best chefs from across the nation will prepare their signature BBQ and BBQ-inspired dishes at this Champagne-soaked event. The Q will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. on a tent in the sand, (wear appropriate footwear) behind the Delano Hotel (1685 Collins Avenue).
Modern Mexican with a Spanish Twist
Local
Fans of Mexican and Spanish cuisine should head to Toro Toro (100 Chopin Plaza) on Thursday at 7 p.m. for Modern Mexican with a Spanish Twist hosted by Bruno Oteiza, Richard Sandoval and Bertha González Nieves. Guests will enjoy five courses of delicacies from Bruno Oteiza, Richard Sandoval, and pastry chef sister team Alisa Romano & Pati Jinich, all paired with Casa Dragones sipping tequila. Tickets for this seated dinner are still available for $250. Guests will be assigned seating prior to this event. Only guests who purchase tickets together will be seated together. If you would like to be seated with another guest(s), please send your request via email to tickets@sobefest.com.
Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village
For a day filled with food and wine tasting, celebrity spotting and cooking demonstrations, head to the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village on Sunday, Feb. 23rd (13th Street and Ocean Drive). Touted as "the ultimate gastronomic adventure" you and your few thousand "soon to be friends" will fill a quarter-mile-long tent on Ocean Drive (again - on the sand) to rub elbows with celebrity chefs, top wine and spirits producers, and local and national restaurateurs offering a plethora of food and sprits. Throughout the day, the celebrity chefs will conduct cooking demos as well as sign copies of their books for fans. Expect to see stars such as Giada De Laurentiis, Alex Guarnaschelli, Andrew Zimmern, Debi Mazar, Gabriele Corcos, Masaharu Morimoto Anne Burrell, Michael Symon, Aarón Sánchez, Geoffrey Zakarian, Rocco DiSpirito and the Deen Family to name a few. The fun starts at 11 a.m. and goes untll 6 p.m.
