The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Feb. 24-28, is mecca for foodies. Every February, gastronomes make the long pilgrimage south to wine, dine and hang around the country’s top toques who'll be making exciting dishes. With over 80 events spread over five days, the options are difficult to narrow down. Here are some events worth the calories and cash.
Miami Beach's Signature Events
Check out the full slate of signature "white tent" events on the sands of South Beach, at the PMG North Venue from 10th to 13th Streets and Ocean Drive. The already sold-out Amstel Light Burger Bash hosted by Rachael Ray will be celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2016 on Friday at 7:30 pm. Judges David Burtka, Neil Patrick Harris and Natalie Morales are picking Schweid & Sons’ “Very Best Burger Award.”
On Saturday from 7 to 10 pm, Meatopia is bringing another carnivorous affair to the white tent. Envisioned by late, award-winning food writer, Josh Ozersky, this year’s barbecue-centric rendition features 25 chefs at a barbecue-inspired soiree, hosted by Michael Symon. The cost to attend is $250 for general admission, $325 for the Mastercard preview and the event starts at 6:15 pm. Lucky Chopsticks: An Asian Night Market hosted by Andrew Zimmern is closing out the 15th birthday of the fest on Sunday from 6 to 9 pm. The price is $150.
Taste Fort Lauderdale Series
This year, there’s no need to trek south on I-95 to Miami Beach to chill with celeb chefs. The Taste Fort Lauderdale series is bringing them north. On Thursday at 7 pm, Todd English and Chris Miracolo are hosting an intimate dinner at S3 Restaurant. The following night Marc Vetri and Giovanni Rocchio are doing the same at Valentino. Eat, party or do both at Kuro on Saturday night with chef Alex Becker and DJ Felix Da Housecat. The Japanese kaiseki tasting event costs $200, including access to the after-party. It kicks off at 7 pm. The after-party begins at 10 pm. Tickets are $95.
Tribute Dinner
Spending the evening with chef, restaurateur and author Jonathan Waxman, honoree at Saturday night’s Tribute Dinner at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel will set you back $500. Waxman, a two-season "Top Chef Masters" alum is "excited to return to South Beach after participating in the Festival for the first time a decade ago which was an amazing experience." Waxman told Where staff that “regardless of the work [it's] so much fun and [that] it sets the tone for lots of time spent here every year.”
Bravo’s Top Chef Judge Tom Colicchio will serve as MC and Chef Waxman hand-picked the jazz band Potash Twins to perform at the awards dinner. Waxman will get a chance to enjoy the sunshine and see lots of "chef friends on the beach in the dead of winter.”
Plenty of other culinary experts will be on hand at the Tribute Dinner including Iron Chefs Bobby Flay and Marc Forgione, Tyler Florence, Aarón Sánchez, Marcus Samuelsson, among others cooking up the evening’s meal.
Events Under $100
SOBEWFF guests are willing to shell out serious cash during the weekend—the $1,500 Joël Robuchon dinner is sold-out—but affordable options are still available. Beverage—and Guy Fieri—enthusiasts collide at The Art of the Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown on Friday from 10 pm to 1 am. Hosted by the flamboyant celeb chef, the phenomenon brings bartenders from renowned tiki joints to the newly renovated Surfcomber Hotel. Tickets are $95. On Sunday at 6 pm, there’s a free screening and conversation with Laura Esquivel, screenwriter of "Like Water for Chocolate" at Loews Miami Beach presented with the Miami International Film Festival.
It’s not just grown-up fetes throughout the week. During the weekend, from 10 am to 5 pm at Jungle Island, Badia Spices’ Fun and Fit as a Family gives parents and kids the chance to learn the basics of healthy living with a rotating cast of culinary experts including Robert Irvine, Eddie Jackson, Andrew Zimmern, Duff Goldman and Rev Run and Justine. Each day costs $20 per person. Bring Fido along to Nutrish’s Yappie Hour hosted by Rachael Ray. From 4 to 6 pm on Saturday, Ray and festival founder Lee Brian Schrager—along with Schrager's pups—are arranging a puppy playdate with snacks for the fur-babies as well as treats and adult bevys for the humans. Tickets are $95.
Getting Around
With over 60,000 descending upon Miami Beach and Greater Miami and Fort Lauderdale to take part in the annual SOBEWFF, there’s bound to be traffic tie-ups all over town. Here are tips to make navigating the festival more efficient.
Whether you arrive into Miami International Airport or Fort Lauderdale International Airport, there are a variety of transportation options to get around once on Miami Beach.
Find nine pay-on-foot garages from 23rd Street to South Pointe and more than 30 surface lots along South Beach. Download the city's free Miami Beach App (ParkMe) to check out the closest city parking to your destination with turn-by-turn directions to that facility including real-time occupancy and parking rates.
There's also solar-powered bike rentals with Citi Bike available to use 24 hours a day and a car sharing program with Car2Go. In addition there's Uber and Lyft, and the Zabcab App to book regular ol' taxi cabs.
In Miami, the SOBEWFF will provide Grand Tasting ticket holders free park-and-rides from Downtown Miami to the various venues. Check the website for exact pick-up location.