2009 South Beach Wine & Food Festival

[lgott]

I've spent the last couple of days looking over the event schedule for this year's festival (http://www.sobefest.com/2009/index1.php). I've gone a couple of times in the past, but only to the Grand Tasting. Sticker shock is beginning to set in - $200 for a Burger Bash?

Does anyone have any comments on some of the main events other than the Grand Tasting, e.g., Burger Bash, BubbleQ, Best of the Best?

[drosendorf]

I've spent the last couple of days looking over the event schedule for this year's festival (http://www.sobefest.com/2009/index1.php). I've gone a couple of times in the past, but only to the Grand Tasting. Sticker shock is beginning to set in - $200 for a Burger Bash?

Does anyone have any comments on some of the main events other than the Grand Tasting, e.g., Burger Bash, BubbleQ, Best of the Best?

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I usually avoid these massive events - very expensive and nobody can really showcase their cooking at its best in this format. There's a few threads on a certain other site discussing prior years' events ->

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/491744

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/468710

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/446701

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/374188

[jim07044]

To borrow a quote from Yogi Berra, "Nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded."

There used to be a time when these festivals were a fun way to get up close and personal to rising and seasoned professional chefs. Now, thanks to national media attention, they have become convention-sized parties that attract B-list celebrities and the party circuit crowd.

So if you want a party with a food theme and the possibility of appearing on Food TV or Ocean Drive's Shot On Site, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival may be fun for you. But if you want to get some face time with local/national chefs to "talk shop", you might be disappointed.

[The Blissful Glutton]

I went to the event and it was actually quite fun. I normally avoid these types of things, but I must say the festival was impeccably organized and great fun once you got past the annoyance of the crowds. Pics here: http://flickr.com/photos/blissfulglutton/s...57614225355003/

[Reignking]

Batali Drops "F-Bomb" on King of Spain

Unable to control his, uh...natural exuberance, celebrity chef/walking impulse control problem Mario Batali "dropped some royally naughty words" in front of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, according to AP reports. Batali was apparently annoyed when the crowd at a $1,000-a-plate dinner at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival wouldn't quiet down. He used the f-word once while quieting them, then used it again while introducing chef Jose Andres, of Los Angeles restaurant The Bazaar. He then proceeded to grab Andres' bottom.