A new spin on an old mac n’ cheese favorite For those who wanted a “soulful” experience, the annual “Cookout” was the place to be. Hosted by radio talk show host Angela Yee and Chef JJ Johnson, the backyard favorite moniker came alive at the Eden Rock Hotel as a guest DJ rocked tunes that invoked everything from line dances to a soca line. Cocktails flowed from presenting sponsor Stella Artois.
Johnson is an award-winning chef and TV personality. His cookbook, “The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table,” was listed as one of New York Times Best Cookbooks in 2023.
The food was far beyond the backyard BBQ. Guests experienced delicacies such as a sweet potato mac and cheese, guava bread pudding, spiced pork belly with jackfruit aioli and cheddar bay hush puppies just to name some of the dishes. “So you have a lot of food, drinks will be flowing, music will be going, and it’s a party,” said Johnson.
Leaving no stone unturned, the festival was not void of the ever increasing AI intrusion. At Thursday’s Burger Bash, Schweid & Sons partneredwith artists to host a digital caricature station, while Publix used AI software to sketch attendees at the Grand Tasting.
Additionally, Invesco QQQ, encouraged participants to try its AI-driven recipe tool in exchange for kitchen swag. year’s event featured 108 events with over 500 chefs, foodies, vintners, vendors, and influencers Feb. 20-23 to Miami’s South Beach.
The four-day festival remained true to its core mission: raising funds – totaling more than $40 million to date – for the Chaplin School of Hospitality Tourism Management and FIU. The students serve as support staff for much of the event.
More than 1,500 students helped run the national, star-studded, four-day destination event showcasing the talents of the world’s most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities. For students, the Festival serves as a bridge between academic learning in the classroom and real-world experiences in the field. It provides hands-on, practical learning experiences at one of the world’s biggest foodie festivals.
What started in 1997 as a one-day event called the Florida Extravaganza at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus has transformed into a world-renowned celebration with 65,000 attendees and more than 1,500 students gaining hands-on learning experience. Food, fun, education and libation amidst the blue waters of the Atlantic – the SOBEWFF is the ultimate foodie party with a purpose.
For the ultimate party with Food Networks stars information visit https://sobewff.org/
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