My SoBe Pt. 6

Nicolas Moore tells us what “SoBe” was like for him in the final entry of his Blue & Gold Blog.

For Nicolas Moore, working on "SoBe" was an adrenaline rush he looks forward to experiencing again in 2011. Here, he is shown plating dessert at the Grand Tasting with chef instructor Kevin Robson (right).

It became a routine for me. Every morning I would drive to Miami Beach at 6 o’clock and sit on the beach taking it all in. In front of me was a calm morning ocean and behind me was the increasingly busy site of the 2010 South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Eventually, I would know I had to leave my place in the sand. I also knew that I had a lot to look forward to.

My experience as a student associate participating in SoBe this year was incredible. It was awesome working right on the beach, grilling meat or pouring the sugar on top of our dessert. I could just look over my shoulder and see everything taking place right in front of me.

The FIU booth at the Grand Tasting was where I was stationed. It was great. Everything was well organized. All of the equipment was there – it seemed that everything had magically appeared. And there was always bottled water for us, snacks…really anything we wanted.

Throughout the weekend, my position was working in the FIU booth assisting in all ways possible. Our team functioned like an assembly line. One student would grill the certified Angus beef and another would toast the homemade bread. Before I placed the meat on the toasted bread with coleslaw, I would verify that it was cooked properly. The sandwich would move down the line to someone else who would cut it, place it on a plate and give it to the person at the counter, who would then hand it to a guest. We had the same system when we made our dessert, creme brulee bread pudding topped with strawberries.

The system really worked: We were able to work fast enough to please the guests since the lines were unimaginable. People really did love our food!

The outstanding lesson of the weekend was quite clear: the importance of duty and responsibility. Each morning there would be one or two students who didn’t show up to work the booth. Those of us there had to make up for it. It simply proved that everyone does really make a difference…and that the show must go on.

I would love to participate in next year’s festival. While, at times, it was very intense with all of the hungry guests waiting to be served, that is precisely what would bring me back: the adrenaline rush in the kitchen. That feeling is unparalleled.