Sand, sips and a silver anniversary: SOBEWFF at 25

There are food festivals across the country - and then there’s the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF) right here in our own backyard. What sets it apart? Sheer scale, unforgettable food bites, celebrities galore and a stretch of sand most events can only envy. 

This is where top tier chefs, cultural tastemakers, blue skies and hospitality power players kicked off their shoes and turned the Atlantic shoreline into America’s most mouthwatering playground. Think beachfront feasts, buzzy pop-ups and endless pours that turn Miami into one long, culinary crawl. It’s equal parts food flex and sun-soaked spectacle, with flavor stealing the spotlight at every single stop.

For its 25th anniversary, SOBEWFF didn’t lean on nostalgia - it turned up the flame. Across several indulgent days, our tropical oasis unfolded like a massive tasting menu, blending culinary clout with all-out fabulous fun. Wine pours flowed, grills sizzled, and tons of guests chased that next delectable bite.

The guest list read like a crossover dream of food meets pop culture. Food Network standouts, Grammy Award-winning artists, lifestyle luminaries and more than 500 chefs, winemakers and spirit producers hosted everything from iconic tastings and decadent brunches to after-dark celebrations that blurred the line between dinner and dance party.

We’re talking Gayle King, Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, Rocco DiSpirito, DJ Khaled, Bobby Flay, Carla Hall, Fat Joe, Michael Symon, Katie Lee, Andrew Zimmern, David Burtka, Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, Tyler Florence, Guy Fieri, Clinton Kelly, Duff Goldman, Rev Run, Neil Patrick Harris, Ja Rule and plenty more.

This was a serious celebrity name drop, not to mention countless local hometown culinary giants. To our delight, plenty of celebrity chefs brought skill and personality to the stage with interactive demos that felt both approachable and aspirational. 

From the red carpet to the tasting room, superstars debuted brands that reflect their personal tastes and passions. Actress Patricia Heaton launched Solubrae, a California alcohol-removed wine that is crisp, floral and citrus-forward. Supermodel Ashley Graham, who co-founded the sparkling Italian red wine Lucci Lambrusco said, “What’s so special about Lucci is that she’s dry, fruit-forward and different from all the other Lambruscos.”

Beyond the buzz, SOBEWFF continued to deliver where it counts: the business of food and drink. The invite-only Wine Spectator Trade Day, hosted by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, offered industry insiders an exclusive front-row look at what’s next - where trends make their first splash - right on our shoreline.

Inside the signature white tents of the Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village, rare vintages and small-batch spirits poured freely as buyers, sommeliers, restauranteurs and operators compared notes. With Southern Glazer’s marking 25 years as the festival’s exclusive wine and spirits provider, SOBEWFF balanced its flash with serious industry credibility.

There was an abundance of food to fill our bellies, from Asian dumplings, Southern fried chicken, Jamaican jerk chicken wings and Italian sausage to Korean BBQ, Argentinean chorizo and Peruvian ceviche. Every bite felt like a passport stamp, hopping cuisines and cultures without leaving the festival. It was the kind of indulgent spread that demanded loosening a button and going back for more. Plates piled high, restraint was off the menu and seconds felt nonnegotiable.

Goya Foods’ Chef Fernando Desa showcased Wagyu cheeseburgers with a side of yuca chips. PATRÓN served up savory cocktails named Stay Spicy Miami and SOBE Spritz. The Israel Wine Producers Association (IWPA), which represents more than 40 wineries across the country poured Shiloh Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Barkan Sauvignon Blanc. Among our absolute faves: Smoke Wagon Bourbon, St. Germain, Vago mezcal, Surfside, Bartenura canned cocktails, Vera Wang’s prosecco, Bailey’s, Barton & Gustier wines, and Peroni. 

Born from family traditions and a shared love of Latin cooking, celebrity Sofía Vergara joined forces with her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, to present TOMA, a food brand rooted in heritage and flavor-first simplicity. Launched over a year ago, TOMA is carving out space on modern tables with craveable, flaky empanadas inspired by family recipes. “This is our first time doing SOBEWFF. We love Lee (Schrager) and have known him for a very long time. He’s known my mom since the early 90s, and he’s like a family friend. We love being here,” said Manolo.

Award-winning Gin & Juice, ready-to-drink classic seltzer cocktails created by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, was also on hand. “Participating in SOBEWFF was very important for us, especially this year because we had the opportunity to showcase STILL G.I.N. as well as our newest flavors of Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop,” said Vanessa Toruno, South Florida Area Market Manager. “We had guests taste the HARD Pink Lemonade, HARD Peach Iced Tea and Mango, and the feedback was incredible!"

Spanning several oceanfront city blocks, the Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village transformed South Beach into a high-energy marketplace of flavor. Top South Florida restaurants served crave-worthy bites. Wines shimmered. Cocktails beaded in the sun. Live music kept the sand moving.

Half beach bash, half gourmet tour, every step brought a fresh explosion of flavor. Chefs mingled curbside with fans, turning tastings into moments and moments into lifelong memories. The scene blended festive beach vibes with a nonstop tasting journey, where every stop teased the taste buds. It was a lively mix of seaside fun and foodie discovery, with surprises waiting at every corner. And, SOBEWFF simply wouldn’t be the same without the leading wine retailer Total Wine, serving up endless bottles of wine much to our delight. 

As afternoon slid into golden hour, the scene shifted from tasting to full-throttle celebration - capped by the David Grutman Experience and even a live set by Miami icon DJ Khaled. Amid all this indulgence, SOBEWFF’s mission remains its most meaningful ingredient. One hundred percent of net proceeds support students at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, many of whom work the festival side by side with chefs, brands and producers. With more than $45 million raised, the impact rivals the festival itself.

SOBEWFF turned South Beach into a sun-soaked, flavor-packed playground where every signature dish felt like a celebration. It remains a feast for all the senses and this is food culture turned up, served big and was best enjoyed barefoot - with salt in the air and a great glass in hand. 

Save the date as SOBEWFF returns with what promises to be a notable star-studded lineup, mouthwatering creations and indulgent libations on February 25-28, 2027. https://sobewff.org/