By: Paige Mastrandrea By: Paige Mastrandrea | January 23, 2024 | Food & Drink, People, Food & Drink,
As the SOBEWFF founder and executive director, Lee Schrager (@leeschrager) knows a thing or two when it comes to decadent food and wine. In light of this year’s upcoming extravaganza, we chat with the man behind it all to get an inside look at what we can expect—and he also dishes on his current go-to Miami destinations for dining out. Feb. 22-25, sobewff.org
Mett Lee Schrager, the founder and executive director of the annual SOBEWFF PHOTO COURTESY OF SOBEWFF
Tell us what we can look forward to this year at the SOBEWFF.
This year, guests can expect a handful of new events, an even more expanded footprint all over the city, great musical acts like DJ CASSIDY, Les Greene & The Swayzees and Rev Run, the return of some Festival favorites like Rachael Ray and Bobby Flay and of course, tons of delicious food and drinks from the best South Florida restaurants.
Are there any new additions coming?
Absolutely! We strive to keep it fresh for our consumers with new events like Noche Cubana hosted by Michelle Bernstein, David Martinez and Gio Gutierrez, which will celebrate the amazing Cuban culture we find in Miami; The Hangar Event Series in Coconut Grove will have great happenings including A Sunset Feast presented by Casa Noble Tequila and the grand finale of Goya Foods’ Heritage Fire where they will be crowning the national winner for the series; and a new twist on our closing party with BACARDI. This year, it will be a block party theme with a special performance by Rev Run.
Last year was the first FoodieCon—tell us about the success of that event.
Showcasing the content creators who have been an integral part of the growth of the Festival has been essential to us for many years. Last year, the inaugural FoodieCon was a sold-out experience, and guests loved meeting their favorite creators and seeing them in action for an “offline” experience. This year, the event will be bigger and better. There will also be a FoodieCon Kickoff Happy Hour hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and a FoodieCon Dinner hosted by Robert Irvine, Jake Cohen and Olivia Tiedemann.
How do you keep the Festival fresh each year?
Keeping the Festival fresh and new is a constant challenge, but it’s what makes it so rewarding. We stay connected with the ever-evolving culinary landscape, paying attention to recent trends and listening to feedback from our attendees, chefs and internal teams. Collaborating with interesting and innovative chefs and partners helps us infuse new energy into the Festival each year. We’re always exploring different themes, event formats, and unique activations to ensure that @SOBEWFF remains a memorable experience, whether someone is attending for the first time or the 10th year.
What are your five favorite restaurants in Miami right now?
Photography by: Photo Courtesy: SOBEWFF