The sand was still warm. The smell of open flame lingered in the salt air. And somewhere between the last bite of a championship burger and the final notes of DJ Cassidy’s closing set, it hit you: twenty-five years of this. Twenty-five years of chefs, celebrities, rosé, competition, community, and purpose all converging on the beaches of Miami for one extraordinary long weekend.
The 25th annual Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF) wrapped on February 22, 2026, and if this anniversary edition was any indication of what the next quarter century holds, the culinary world has a lot to look forward to.
How It All Started
Most people know SOBEWFF as one of the country’s most star-studded food events. Fewer know it started as a single-day fundraiser on the campus of Florida International University in 1997, dreamed up by hospitality professor Patrick “Chip” Cassidy. He called it the Florida Extravaganza. Julio Iglesias showed up. George Hamilton, too. It was modest, warm, and full of promise.
Five years later, Lee Brian Schrager, then director of special events at Southern Wine and Spirits of America, took the reins. He moved it to South Beach, brought in the Food Network as a partner, and transformed a local fundraiser into a four-day national destination. Today, Schrager serves as Festival Founder and Director and as Chief Communications Officer and SVP of Corporate Social Responsibility for Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits.
His vision was always about more than the food. “From its early days with just 7,000 attendees to becoming one of the nation’s largest food Festivals,” Schrager said, “SOBEWFF has always been about connecting people to incredible food, drink, and culture, while supporting the next generation of hospitality leaders from FIU.”
By the Numbers: A Legacy That Speaks for Itself
Before getting into the events, the parties, and the celebrity sightings, it is worth pausing on what SOBEWFF has actually built over 25 years:
- $50 million+ raised for FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
- 30,000+ students impacted since the festival’s founding in 1997
- 1,500+ FIU students working 4,300+ shifts at every single festival
- 500+ chefs, winemakers, and spirits producers participate annually
- 105+ events across South Florida in 2026 alone
- $31.2 million in estimated economic impact for Miami-Dade in 2024
- 97 tons of waste diverted from landfills since the Clean Vibes sustainability partnership began in 2023
- 5,000+ meals donated annually through the Miami Rescue Mission and community partners
These are not just impressive statistics. They are the proof of a festival that has always meant it when it said: Eat. Drink. Educate.
Thursday, February 19: The Weekend Kicks Off
Burger Bash Turns 20
Is there a better way to open a food festival than with 46,000 burgers? The fan-favorite Burger Bash presented by Schweid and Sons celebrated its own 20th anniversary this year, matching the milestone energy of the broader festival. Twenty-five restaurants competed for the title of the country’s best burger, with judges Ashley Graham, Gayle King, and Bert Kreischer taking their duties very seriously. La Birra Bar walked away with the People’s Choice Award.
Rachael Ray hosted alongside Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, whose passion for cooking has made him an increasingly familiar face in the food world. Ray called him “warm” and “a very thoughtful, smart, kind person” who “takes time with every person at every station.” The crowd loved every minute of it.
Diplo: Live from South Beach
In a milestone moment for the 25th anniversary, the Grand Tasting Village Courtyard was activated after dark for the very first time. Diplo headlined a late-night set hosted by Miami nightlife legend David Grutman and Groot Hospitality, transforming the iconic beachside space into a concert destination. It was the opening statement of the anniversary weekend: SOBEWFF is not just a food festival. It is a full cultural experience.
Friday, February 20: Fire, Competition, and a Historic Honor
Tournament of Champions with Guy Fieri
Friday night belonged to Guy Fieri and the Tournament of Champions, the electric culinary showdown inspired by the hit Food Network series. Five powerhouse teams, each led by a past TOC winner, battled across 25 interactive tasting stations on Miami Beach. This year’s team captains were Brooke Williamson, Maneet Chauhan, Tiffani Faison, Mei Lin, and Antonia Lofaso, all of them deploying creativity and skill under the clock while the crowd sampled and voted. Hip-hop legend Rev Run closed the night with a live performance.
Fieri, who has become as synonymous with SOBEWFF as the beach itself, reflected on what the festival means to him. His favorite part? The young chefs. “To see all the young chefs that are aspiring to go to the next level, to see them get their moment onstage, their moment in time to be recognized by the world,” he said, is what keeps him coming back.
The Tribute Dinner: Miami Finally Gets Its Moment
For 25 years, SOBEWFF’s prestigious Tribute Dinner honored culinary figures from across the country. On Friday night, the festival turned the spotlight on its own backyard for the first time.
Chef Michelle Bernstein, the James Beard Award-winning Miami native who has participated in every single edition of SOBEWFF since the beginning, became the first local chef ever to be honored at the Tribute Dinner. Her story is inseparable from Miami’s culinary evolution. When she opened Michy’s on Biscayne Boulevard in 2006, the neighborhood was a gamble. Her food made it a destination, drawing other chefs and restaurateurs to take a chance on the area. She did not just cook for Miami. She helped build it.
Vintner Sacha Lichine, the winemaker behind Chateau d’Esclans and the iconic Whispering Angel, was honored alongside Bernstein. Bobby Flay served as Master of Ceremonies.
Schrager was candid about how the decision came together: “Bobby Flay gave me the idea. I didn’t need to be sold. It absolutely should have been Michelle.”
Saturday, February 21: The Big Day
Masters of Fire with Tyler Florence
One of the 25th anniversary’s signature new additions, Masters of Fire brought more than 25 chefs cooking over open flames directly onto the sands of Miami Beach. Tyler Florence, a 24-year Food Network veteran, directed the evening with the authority of someone who understands that fire is both technique and spectacle. As the sun set over the water, the combination of live flame, smoky aromas, and bold flavors created one of the most visceral and memorable experiences of the entire weekend. This one will be back.
Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village
The crown jewel of every SOBEWFF weekend sprawled across 135,000 square feet of Miami Beach on both Saturday and Sunday, featuring over 1,200 products for sampling, 45-plus dining partners, and live cooking demos from Food Network personalities. Bobby Flay worked the demo stage to enormous crowds, and Sofia Vergara made a highly anticipated appearance that drew enthusiastic, joyful energy throughout the Village.
Thousands of festivalgoers moved from booth to booth, sampling everything from tacos to craft cocktails under the warm February sun. “You’re here to eat, drink and have fun,” summed up one attendee perfectly.
Tacos and Tequila in the Design District
Saturday night extended the festivities into the Miami Design District, where Chef Aaron Sanchez hosted Tacos and Tequila presented by Tequila Cazadores. Bold Mexican flavors, flowing pours, and a distinctly Miami late-night vibe made this one of the most talked-about satellite events of the weekend.
Sunday, February 22: A Worthy Finale
25 Years of Legendary Bites and Iconic Sips with Andrew Zimmern
The perfect capstone to a milestone year. James Beard Award-winning chef and television personality Andrew Zimmern hosted the anniversary’s closing celebration, a greatest-hits evening featuring the flavors and chefs that have defined 25 years of SOBEWFF. DJ Cassidy provided the live soundtrack, sending the weekend out on a note that felt both celebratory and genuinely emotional for anyone who has loved this festival over the years.
Overtown Brunch at Red Rooster with Marcus Samuelsson
Back for another year, the Overtown Brunch at Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster Overtown was a soulful reminder that SOBEWFF’s reach extends far beyond the sand. The event spotlighted the rich culinary heritage of Miami’s historic Overtown neighborhood and showcased local talent in a warm, community-driven setting. It remains one of the festival’s most meaningful events.
More Weekend Highlights
The 2026 lineup was so deep that even a full recap cannot do it justice. A few more standout moments worth noting:
Let Them Eat Cake at the National Hotel, hosted by Duff Goldman, was a dessert-forward birthday party for the festival itself, indulgent and joyful in every way.
The New York Times Dinner Series brought together Bryan Voltaggio, Michael Voltaggio, Brooke Williamson, Zac Young, and rising star Peyton Leffingwell for a one-night-only dinner at the Frost Museum of Science.
Bootcamp and Bites with Robert Irvine on the sands of Nikki Beach showed that SOBEWFF’s programming truly spans the full spectrum, from fire-cooked feasts to fitness-forward mornings.
Steak and Whiskey in the Miami Design District, hosted by Michael Symon and presented by the Florida Beef Council, was a carnivore’s dream and one of the weekend’s most consistently praised evenings.
A Sushi Omakase Collective on Sunday brought together six outstanding restaurants, including Uchi Miami’s Chef Tyson Cole, for a sushi lover’s dream afternoon at SGWS Wynwood.
The Late Night Pizza Party hosted by Ashley Graham, Michael Pirolo, and Marc Vetri at Bar Bucce was exactly what a late-night crowd needed and exactly what it got.
The Heart of It All: FIU’s Students
Behind every perfectly poured glass, every well-run tasting station, and every seamlessly coordinated event, there is a Florida International University student making it happen. More than 1,500 FIU students from the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management work over 4,300 shifts across the festival each year, handling everything from food and beverage logistics to media coordination to guest experience.
Festival Director Ashley Shapiro knows this better than anyone. She started at SOBEWFF as an intern in 2005, worked every role in between, and now runs the entire operation. “Everything we’ve done over the years to not only raise money for the school, but also to provide networking and real-life experience for students in the hospitality business,” she said, “it’s unmatched.”
In 2026, FIU hosted its first-ever SOBEWFF Media Day, inviting press and influencers back to the Biscayne Bay campus where the festival first began. Empanada-making classes using Michelle Bernstein’s recipes, a master wine tasting led by FIU alumna and sommelier Amanda Fraga, and a look at what the school has built over 25 years made for a meaningful homecoming. The festival that grew beyond the school came back to honor the school that started it all.
What Makes SOBEWFF Different
There are food festivals across the country. There is only one SOBEWFF.
The difference is the mission. From day one, this event has existed to fund hospitality education at FIU. Every ticket, every sponsorship, every carefully planned event flows back to that purpose. The festival has never lost sight of it, and the community built around that mission, the chefs who return year after year, the sponsors who have been partners for decades, the students who go on to run restaurants and hotels and events of their own, is why the 25th anniversary felt less like a celebration and more like a reunion.
Schrager borrowed a quote from Emeril Lagasse to describe it best: “The festival is the Super Bowl of food events.” After 25 years and $50 million raised, no one can argue with that.
See You in 2027
The 26th annual Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival returns February 25 through 28, 2027. If the energy, creativity, and heart of this year’s milestone anniversary is any measure, it is going to be extraordinary.
Until then, the legacy of what was built this February on the sands of Miami Beach lives on in every meal cooked with intention and every hospitality student who learned what it means to do this work well.
For tickets, event information, and updates, visit sobewff.org.
100% of net proceeds from SOBEWFF benefit the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University.
