The Benefits of the South Beach Food Network Wine & Food Festival in Miami
Tracy Blijden
Prof. Andrews
ENG1020
6 November 2012
The Benefits of the South Beach Food Network Wine & Food Festival in Miami Miami is a great tourist destination, because it fulfills every tourist’s needs. It has great weather, great shopping and an even greater nightlife. Another thing that keeps the tourist coming is also its great cuisine. Miami has a cuisine that is uniquely its own. With its diverse community comes a cuisine with a blend of Latin, Caribbean and other influences. Lately the Culinary scene has been getting more important in this area, providing numerous outstanding restaurants of every kind. This sudden boom is due to the increasing amount of Food and wine festivals in the area held every year. One of the many anticipated wine and food festivals are the South Beach Food Network Wine &Food Festival.
The South Beach Food Network Wine and Food Festival once began as a one-day event, known as the Florida Extravaganza. It was hosted by Florida International University at their Biscayne Campus. The event showcased nationally known wines paired with food from local restaurants whose chefs worked with students of the school’s Hospitality and Tourism Management course. (“About the Festival.”) The event was soon transformed by Lee Schrager, current vice president of corporate communications & national events. The one day event relocated to South Beach and transformed into the four-day party celebrating the best of food and wine that we know today.
“In the earliest days, we had to beg people to come. Even in years two and three, we could call people and they didn’t know about it. It took forever to get a response. Today we make a phone call or send an e-mail and they know who we are. Most people want to participate. It’s not a hard sell: mid-February, South Beach.” (Rowe)
Events like these draw in huge crowds of food lovers to Miami every year. In these four days culinarians get to experience the best wine, food and culinary talent
Prof. Andrews
ENG1020
6 November 2012
The Benefits of the South Beach Food Network Wine & Food Festival in Miami Miami is a great tourist destination, because it fulfills every tourist’s needs. It has great weather, great shopping and an even greater nightlife. Another thing that keeps the tourist coming is also its great cuisine. Miami has a cuisine that is uniquely its own. With its diverse community comes a cuisine with a blend of Latin, Caribbean and other influences. Lately the Culinary scene has been getting more important in this area, providing numerous outstanding restaurants of every kind. This sudden boom is due to the increasing amount of Food and wine festivals in the area held every year. One of the many anticipated wine and food festivals are the South Beach Food Network Wine &Food Festival.
The South Beach Food Network Wine and Food Festival once began as a one-day event, known as the Florida Extravaganza. It was hosted by Florida International University at their Biscayne Campus. The event showcased nationally known wines paired with food from local restaurants whose chefs worked with students of the school’s Hospitality and Tourism Management course. (“About the Festival.”) The event was soon transformed by Lee Schrager, current vice president of corporate communications & national events. The one day event relocated to South Beach and transformed into the four-day party celebrating the best of food and wine that we know today.
“In the earliest days, we had to beg people to come. Even in years two and three, we could call people and they didn’t know about it. It took forever to get a response. Today we make a phone call or send an e-mail and they know who we are. Most people want to participate. It’s not a hard sell: mid-February, South Beach.” (Rowe)
Events like these draw in huge crowds of food lovers to Miami every year. In these four days culinarians get to experience the best wine, food and culinary talent
Cited: "About the Festival." 2013 SOBEWFF. Food Network. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://sobefest.com/about.php>. Clay, Brittany. “Re: Info on SOBEWFF.” Message to Accounting and Compliance Manager. 2 Nov. 2012. E-mail. "Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Presented by Food & Wine Magazine Presents Proceeds to Florida International University." PR Newswire 29 May 2007. Culinary Arts Collection. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. "Marketing." Corporate SOBEWFF. Food Network. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://corporate.sobefest.com/marketing-pr/>. "Miami Economy." EconomyWatch. Stanley St Labs, 30 June 2010. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/usa/cities/miami-economy.html> Rowe, Megan. "Mr. South Beach." Restaurant Hospitality 95.1 (2011): 28-29. Food Science Source. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. Von Rabenau, Nicole. "Food, Wine & Fun In The Sun." Fancy Food & Culinary Products 24.4 (2007): 46. Food Science Source. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.