Meet you at SoBe


The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Feb. 25-28 raises funds for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. More than 900 Panthers help make “SoBe” a success, gaining valuable hands-on experience in the process.

By Martin Haro

February in Miami is a time for fun and the must-attend of the season, of course, will be the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Feb. 25-28.

It is a tradition for hundreds if not thousands of guests, not to mention FIU – a true celebration that brings international attention to the university’s Panthers who work as student associates during the festival, gaining first-hand experience assisting with every detail of the event’s production, literally rubbing elbows with a Who’s Who of the culinary world who serve as their mentors for the weekend.

“SoBe,” which began almost a decade ago as the one-day Florida Extravaganza at Biscayne Bay Campus, has exceeded expectations in its short history, growing into the place to be for anyone with a healthy appetite and a healthier thirst. Funds raised during SoBe go toward hospitality programs at FIU.

“We were so happy to have a record-breaking 2009,” said Lee Brian Schrager, the festival’s founder and director. “With our highest numbers yet raised for FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, home of the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center, [our team is] determined to make 2010 another banner year to benefit the school.”

Last year, the festival brought in $2 million for programs at FIU. Schrager recognizes the symbiotic relationship between SoBe and the students who are instrumental to the festival’s success.

“Out of the 10 employees that we have working full time on the festival, five of them are FIU graduates, plus all of our interns,” he said. “I don’t think there’s one [area] of the festival that doesn’t have the support of students. We really couldn’t produce this festival of this magnitude without them.”

One of those students is Ghazala Salam, a former festival intern who this year is managing the Dim Sum & Disco at The Setai event. She calls the festival “an excellent opportunity for FIU students…we are very lucky.”

Salam is but one of the hundreds of Panthers who are both learning from and working to make the 2010 event the biggest and best yet. Some her fellow student associates have been keeping us posted on their experience on the road to SoBe in a series of Blue & Gold Blogs.

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