Florida International University students and alumni prepare to power the 25th anniversary of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival®

MIAMI (Feb. 11, 2026) – The South Beach Wine & Food Festival® (SOBEWFF®) is celebrating its 25th anniversary, evolving from a professor’s idea of a one-day, student-run event at Florida International University (FIU) into one of the nation’s premier culinary festivals. SOBEWFF® 2026 takes place from Feb. 19-22, with tickets available at sobewff.org. 

What began in 1997 as the Florida Extravaganza at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus, spearheaded by late hospitality professor and alumnus Patrick “Chip” Cassidy, has grown into a nationally recognized celebration powered by more than 1,500 FIU students each year. 

Over the past 25 years, FIU students and alumni have played a central role in SOBEWFF®, contributing to the Festival’s more than 100 events and helping raise more than $45 million for the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. This funding supports scholarships, facilities, and the training of future hospitality leaders. Students gain hands-on experience in food and beverage management, event logistics, media, marketing, and more, preparing them for careers in the hospitality industry and giving them valuable opportunities to network with top industry professionals. 

The Festival transformed in 2002 when Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Chief Communications Officer Lee Brian Schrager expanded the event into a multi-day experience, partnering with the Food Network to attract national attention and thousands of visitors to South Beach. Since then, SOBEWFF® has provided experiential learning for more than 30,000 students, while featuring appearances from celebrity chefs, Grammy-winning artists, and personalities from the world of wine and spirits. 

“The success of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival® shows what is possible when higher education and industry come together with a shared purpose. At the FIU Chaplin School, we’re proud to shape the future leaders of hospitality through transformative, hands‑on experiences like this one,” said Michael Cheng, dean of the Chaplin School. 

The Festival’s ties to FIU continue long after graduation, as many alumni return as featured chefs and restaurant owners, demonstrating the event’s impact on their professional journeys. 

Fabiola Quereguan, a senior in hospitality management, says the Festival helps prepare students for their careers. She has participated in running the Festival for four years.  

“I’m just going to take all of the experience, all of the connections and just run with it,” Quereguan said. “I would continue doing this forever if I could.” 

About Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One:
EAT. DRINK. EDUCATE. 100% of net proceeds benefit the students at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University who also assist Festival organizers with sponsorship fulfillment, restaurant and exhibitor recruitment, logistics, and inventory as well as working alongside some of the world’s greatest celebrity chefs and winemakers. To date, SOBEWFF® has raised more than $45 million for the School.  

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival® is produced by Florida International University and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors & Convention Authority and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information about the Festival, visit sobewff.org or call 866.271.8540. For more information about Florida International University visit fiu.edu, for the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management visit hospitality.fiu.edu and for more information about Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits visit southernglazers.com. 


About FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management:
Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management is the No. 4 best hospitality school among U.S. Public Universities and ranked 31 in the world, placing it in the Top 1% globally. As the second-largest hospitality school in the U.S., FIU attracts nearly 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students from around the world who are drawn to our outstanding reputation, expert faculty, immersive curriculum, and real-world career pathways. From international hotel and lodging to real estate, foodservice, beverage management, tourism, revenue management, entertainment, and large-scale events, our programs prepare students to lead across the full spectrum of the global hospitality industry. Located in the heart of Miami—a world-class tourism hub—our students gain unparalleled hands-on, experiential learning that brings hospitality education to life. For more information about Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, visit http://hospitality.fiu.edu. 

About FIU:
Florida International University is a Top 50, preeminent public research university with 55,000 students from all 50 states and more than 140 countries, as well as an alumni network of more than 340,000. Located in the global city of Miami, the university offers more than 200 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels, including medicine and law. FIU faculty are leaders in their fields and include National Academy members, Fulbright Scholars, and MacArthur Genius Fellows. A Carnegie R1 institution, FIU drives impactful research in environmental resilience, health, and technology and innovation. Home to the Wall of Wind and Institute of Environment, FIU stands at the forefront of discovery and innovation. With a focus on student success, economic mobility and community engagement, FIU is redefining what it means to be a public research university.