Chefs on the Sand

Picture a sunny day at the beach, with your feet in the sand and the sound of waves lapping the shore in the distance. This might sound like a quiet spot to relax, but it’s actually the vibrant setting for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Founder Lee Schrager originally created the food and wine showcase to help students in the hospitality program at Florida International University gain real-world experience. Fast forward 22 years, and the festival has grown into a highly popular destination for the foodie community and beach lovers alike. 

Mere steps away from the Atlantic Ocean is one of the biggest attractions of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival: The Grand Tasting Village. Within the quarter mile stretch on the sand, there are multiple local restaurants providing samples of their cuisine, as well as two live demonstration kitchens set up for celebrity chefs to showcase their culinary talent and dynamic personalities. These demo kitchens are sponsored by Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, and this year, they featured performances by celebrity chefs such as Guy Fieri, Marcus Samuelsson, and Maneet Chauhan.

“It’s a great opportunity for subtle brand exposure,” says Sub-Zero Group Florida Regional Marketing Manager Shannon Lewis. “A lot of the celebrity chefs that attend the event already have our products in their home, so not only are they familiar with the products, but they are excited to share them and their abilities with an international audience.”

The main products from Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove that were on the stage included the new Wolf Induction Cooktop, two Wolf M Series Convection Ovens, a Sub-Zero Classic Series Refrigerator, and Freezer, as well as a Wolf Grill. “We are a high-performance cooking specialist,” says Ryan Degraffenreid, Sub-Zero Group Florida Vice President of Sales. “So, those that attend the event are typically our perfect customers because they’re really into food.”

The charisma of the chefs at the Grand Tasting Village is not the only thing that you can expect during demonstrations. “This event hits both types of people–those looking to try some of the best local cuisine and those who really enjoy cooking,” Degraffenreid says. He explains that the demonstrations are not only about the chef and product performance but also an opportunity for the crowd to engage and interact with the chefs directly. For example, a chef might get asked, “Do you like cooking on induction cooktops?” “Induction is huge right now,” says Degraffenreid. “What’s amazing about that is our brand is right there. So, as chefs are answering cooking-related questions, it says Wolf.”

In recent years, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival has drawn people from all over the world who want to experience new cuisine and drinks, enjoy a wonderful view of the beach, and see some of their favorite celebrity chefs. “We’re an international brand, so being a part of this event allows us to get exposure not just locally but internationally to customers and clients all over the world,” says Degraffenreid. “It’s a great way to show different cooking technologies, and we’ve got our best products out there.” 

The event has grown so much and has had such great success that Schrager has already replicated it in New York City. "Being involved with the South Beach Wine & Food Festival is a great opportunity because it targets exactly who our customer is,” says Lewis.  “As the festival continues to grow, we hope to continue building our relationship nationally and growing with it.”