South Beach Food and Wine Festival

[annecros]

Did anybody go? I couldn't, and I want to kick myself. Hubby works for American Express, but we got in line for the cheap seats too late. Then life got in the way.

Found this wrapup.

Widely known chefs such as Bobby Flay, Nigella Lawson, David Chang and Norman Van Aken were on hand at the festival and inside the Publix Kitchen to lend expertise and samples of their dishes during seminars and book signings. Restaurants from all over the world also had their hands in the pot in creating a culinary sampling experience. Some of the biggest events besides the Great Tasting were Friday's Bubble Q, a BBQ event spearheaded by Al Roker of NBC's "Today" show, and the first annual Food Network Awards.

The one-of-a-kind, two-day-long American Express Grand Tasting event differs from other tastings by allowing visitors to have many return trips to their favorite vendors. A further surprise was it varied from other food- or alcohol-related events by being not what you'd expect. The food was actually really good, the cost albeit a little steep at close to $100.00 a pop, but the tasting allows guests to enjoy as much as they want of some of the best food and wine in the world. I myself was quite partial to the duck gumbo made by New Orleans-famed LaCote Brasserie. However, I'm getting ahead of myself ...

[annecros]

Wow, sombody went:

Food Fest Numbers

$2 MILLION (plus) — Record ticket revenue for this year’s festival.

$1 MILLION — Amount raised to benefit the students of the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center and Teaching Restaurant, and the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, both at Florida International University.

$333,000 — Amount of additional funds for student scholarships raised by the Festival’s on-line and silent auctions, and its’ South African expedition.

$2 MILLION — Amount of dollars in sponsorship investments that helped bankroll the festival.

30,000 — Attendees...