If guests saved room for dessert after the Ferran Adrià dinner, the Sweet Deco-dence party held poolside at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel was the place to be. It was the first time the festival had done a dessert party, and it was conceptualized by the festival's creator, Lee Schrager, to celebrate its fifth anniversary. "We've also never honored pastry chefs at the festival, and we wanted to celebrate their talent and showcase their work," said Susan Kleinberg of Susan Kleinberg Events, who also assisted with the dinner.The area was transformed with hot pink and orange, and 17 tents or stations where restaurants such as Timo, Wish, OLA Steak, and Smith & Wollensky served up decadent treats—it was Willy Wonka, South Beach style. Renowned sugar artist Margaret Braun baked a multitiered anniversary cake, which restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow delivered via a private jet. Cocktail tables in hot pink or orange linens and polka-dot overlays were topped with buckets of candy for a whimsical touch.
A sample of the confections available? Milk chocolate peanut butter crunch napoleons from Chef Francois Payard of New York's Payard Patisserie & Bistro; coconut-chocolate bread pudding with passion fruit sauce from New York's Mesa Grill; chocolate chip cookies with malted-milk shots from Chef Hedy Goldsmith of Nemo restaurant; and hot cinnamon churros filled with dulce de leche and served with a java chocolate shake from Chef Jordi Panisello of the Loews. Guests could also make their own sundaes at the Cold Stone Creamery station.
With so many desserts available, the party brought out a little Augustus Gloop in everyone.
—Vanessa Goyanes
Read more coverage of the 2006 South Beach Wine & Food Festival...
A sample of the confections available? Milk chocolate peanut butter crunch napoleons from Chef Francois Payard of New York's Payard Patisserie & Bistro; coconut-chocolate bread pudding with passion fruit sauce from New York's Mesa Grill; chocolate chip cookies with malted-milk shots from Chef Hedy Goldsmith of Nemo restaurant; and hot cinnamon churros filled with dulce de leche and served with a java chocolate shake from Chef Jordi Panisello of the Loews. Guests could also make their own sundaes at the Cold Stone Creamery station.
With so many desserts available, the party brought out a little Augustus Gloop in everyone.
—Vanessa Goyanes
Read more coverage of the 2006 South Beach Wine & Food Festival...
For the first time in the South Beach Wine & Food Festival's history, a dessert party was held, poolside at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
Warren Brown, the host of Food Network's Sugar Rush, helped Margaret Braun put the finishing touches on the festival's fifth anniversary cake.
Chef Hedy Goldsmith from Nemo made chocolate chip cookies with malted-milk shots.
Jordi Panisello, the Loews' pastry chef, made java chocolate shakes to serve with hot cinnamon churros.
