Where To Find Plant-Based Dishes At South Beach Wine And Food Festival 2022
The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SOBEWFF) is taking place from February 24 to 27, 2022 at various locations in Miami-Dade and Broward. Now on its 21st year, the Festival has also begun a partnership with former councilwoman and Vice Mayor of Miami Gardens, Dr. Lisa Davis, that will focus on diversity, equity and inclusion at the festival—addressing gaps in underrepresentation and inequity across the hospitality industry and advancing diversity and inclusion across the board.
Over 400 chefs, beverage producers and food personalities will partake in over 90 events this year ranging from walk-around tastings to masterclasses to intimate sit-down dinners. Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and his wife, former Victoria Secret model Behati Prinsloo, will host dinners at 1 Hotel South Beach and Como Como, in honor of their tequila, Calirosa. A walk-around late night Asian Night Market hosted by Thai-American personality Jet Tila will take place at the Loews Hotel. Three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade will host Foodventure at Citizens MiamiCentral Culinary Market.
For plant-based diners and the plant-curious, this year’s SOBEWFF is not short of options. At Bootcamp & Bites hosted by Robert Irvine, the host of Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible” will be serving a power bowl of schmear cilantro and lime hummus, curried cauliflower, broccolini and lentils, with the option of being topped with falafel. Nikki Beach executive chef Frank Ferriero will be preparing a barefoot bowl with roasted cauliflower, bulgar wheat sweet potato, feta, chickpeas and a tahini yogurt dressing.
At Tacos & Tequila, Tacombi chef Oscar Hernandez will be serving guacamole made with fresh avocados from Mexico, on a crisped, nixtamalized vista hermosa corn tortilla. At the Asian Night Market, Komodo will be serving truffle mushroom dim sum, and Diya Miami will be serving dumplings made with soy carne, as well as the re-lax roll made with vegan salmon and vegan cream cheese wrapped in sushi rice.
Chef David Lee of Planta and Planta Queen will be participating at Fontainebleau’s Best of the Best; Cashiema Green known for her plant-based Jamaican options at Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen, and Iram Ayala, known for his Puerto Rican vegetarian and vegan dishes, and Chris Slawson of Thatch will be at Goya Grand Tasting Village. Jennifer Behar of Jennifer’s Homemade, known for their vegan breadsticks and flatbreads, will be at Drag Brunch hosted by Kalen Allen featuring Mistresses of Ceremonies Kim Chi & Athena Dion.
Finless Foods, a Bay Area biotech committed to creating a future where the ocean thrives, will also be debuting their sustainable, plant-based tuna at Grand Tasting Event. Their new product consists of nine whole, plant-based ingredients that are cooked and seasoned to mimic the taste and texture of tuna, specifically designed to act as a substitute for raw tuna in dishes like poke and spicy tuna rolls.
Plant-based protein brand, PAOW! (People and Our World), made of soy, water and salt, will also be at the Grand Tasting Village. Corporate celebrity chef Robyn Almodovar, who won Food Network’s “Chopped” and “Cutthroat Kitchen” both in 2015— will be serving up their signature vegan empanadas— Korean Barbecue, Madras Curry and Philly Style— as well as debuting their crab cakes, ahead of their spring retail launch.