More than 60,000 people turned out for the Food Network & Cooking Channelβs South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which took place February 22 to 26. Now in its 16th year, attendees took in familiar events such as the Grand Tasting Village and the perennially popular Burger Bash. But this year organizers introduced several new events, which festival director Lee Brian Schrager said were developed both in response to patronsβ feedback as well as in an effort to attract a younger crowd.
Saturday nightβs debut Bacardi on the Beach party brought the cocktail-minded crowd. As beats bounced from the buildings to the ocean, attendees sipped signature rum-based cocktails and snacked on late-night bites such as smoky brisket potato chip nachos, fried chicken sliders, ice cream sandwiches, and shrimp tacos. As the evening progressed, iconic β90s hip-hopper-turned-reality-TV-star Rev Run took to the stage with DJ Ruckus.
In addition to the new headlining event, the Grand Tastingβthe festivalβs original drawβreceived a musical facelift. DJ-based acts were headlined by Snoop Dogg, who took to the decks at the built-out stage between both Grand Tasting tents on Saturday following his demo with Guy Fieri. The performance was sponsored by Tanqueray and featured the words βGinβ and βJuice,β nodding to the rapperβs classic hit.
On Sunday, Miami nightlife purveyor David Grutman curated the David Grutman Experience, a music fest within the food and wine festival that was an unlikely, but well-received, pairing. Grutman brought DJ Ingrosso to the outdoor decks, where he spun EDM tunes underneath blue skies. Grutman also populated the space with his favorite food and drinks.
βI curated the restaurants, pop-up street art, and music so people at the festival could see a what a day in my life is like,β Grutman said. βWe brought the party to the festival, and I think people who went really loved it.β
According to Schrager, the worlds of pop culture melding with food and wine are a natural progression. βI think chefs have become rock stars and rock stars have become chefs,β he said. βEveryone loves food, and everyone loves to eat. Food is a common denominator that brings us together around the tableβfrom DJs to supermodels to athletes.β
In addition to millennial programming, there were 11 new events, from happy hours to late-nights to chef-collaboration dinners. Schrager noted one particular feather in his cap: Fridayβs $850-per-ticket dinner hosted by Massimo Bottura with guest Giada De Laurentiis, which took place at Faena Hotel Miami Beach. Schrager said he has been βchasingβ Bottura for years before the chef committed to the trip. βMassimo is someone we wanted before he was number one in the world,β Schrager says of three-Michelin-star-rated Bottura and his restaurant Osteria Francescana in Moderna, Italy. βWe never thought we would get him.β
The festival, which raises money for the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University, already has released its dates for next year; it will return February 21 through 25.