My SoBe, Pt. 1

In the weeks leading up to the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Feb. 25-28, Panthers working on the event as student associates kept us posted on their experiences on the road to “SoBe” in a series of Blue & Gold Blogs. In this entry, FIU alumnus Joseph Quiñones ’08 shares his “whirlwind experience” working on the 2010 festival.

This was the last year Joseph Quiñones '08, with fellow "SoBe" student associates Lais Silva (left) and Imari Lauren Manzano, could volunteer to work on the festival. He looks forward to returing in 2011 as a guest and help raise funds for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at FIU.

I have never been so exhausted in my life – the 2010 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival was such a whirwind experience and such an undeniable learning opportunity. It was a lot of work and I had a great time doing it.

Since graduating from the School of Journalism & Mass Communication in 2008, my focus has been public relations. I had such a great time with the professors that I decided to immediately pursue a master’s of science in the global communications track. After careful consideration, I decided to take Convention/Meeting Management with professor Susan Gladstone (’76) as my elective – the class students in the know refer to as “advanced special events.” Coupled with my public relations experience, I thought this would be a great supplement to my education.

I also knew that under professor Gladstone’s guidance, students could volunteer at SoBe.

I have never had the chance to attend an official festival event due to their high price tags and exclusive guest lists. As student associates, Panthers get the chance to work alongside nationally renowned chefs and expert event planners that put the mammoth events together.

I volunteered for four different events, each unique and exciting in their own ways. My first job was Feb. 26 as a load-in/set-up volunteer at the Best of the Best at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. One thing any student associate will tell you is that you never really do the jobs you are assigned to. You end up doing a little bit of everything…whether it is working with sponsors, setting up displays or cutting onions.

My 12.5-hour shift began bright and early and ended late in the night. My team began by setting up wine and chef stations throughout the resort’s Sparkle Ballroom. The rest of the day consisted of little random tasks that most guests don’t even realize go into an event: filling up ice buckets, distributing wine glasses, plates, etc. During the event, I was stationed at the Riedel wine glass table where we handed out commemorative wine glasses, essential to getting every guest drunk – and, oh boy, did they get drunk!

The hotel provided every student associate with an expansive lunch buffet of foodie delights including a Malaysian chicken curry, Asian boneless ribs, jasmine rice, salads and more. It was cool seeing the ballroom come into its “Passport to Paris” theme as chefs from around the country gathered to prepare their tastings for more than 800 guests. I was happy to see how students from every grade level and walk of life come together and work as a team.

The morning of Feb. 27 I was an event assistant at the Dolce Brunch hosted by Michelle Bernstein and Hedy Goldsmith at the Delano Hotel. It was a beautiful event. Every place setting was decorated with a Tiffany box containing a jewel charm and guests were treated to a four-course menu prepared by the two chefs. Squeal: I am a huge fan of chef Bernstein! The student associate team was small, but we did everything from seating guests to preparing the Godiva station. The Delano was nice enough to allow the students to eat one of the courses as lunch and as luck would have it, it was one of my favorite Michy’s dishes: the signature fried chicken ‘n’ waffles.

Later that night was the Wine + Dine + Design dinner in the Design District. My task as a sponsor representative for Sweet Street Desserts was at the after-party hosted by Thrillist.com. The event, which started at 10 p.m., was a typical Miami-style bash, complete with free drinks and bites. All of a sudden, I assumed the role of a culinary student. Please note: My cooking skills are limited to scrambled eggs and pasta. The Sweet Street Desserts team had us prepare individual dessert sampler plates for guests. It definitely was harder than it looked, but the chefs were great at giving pointers on plating designs and presenting the desserts. I was grateful to get firsthand knowledge from pastry experts.

I had an early morning wake-up call on the last day of the festival, Feb. 28. I was supposed to be an inventory volunteer at the Fun and Fit as a Family featuring Kellog’s Kidz Kitchen event at Parrot Jungle Island. Instead, I assisted in the celebrity cooking demonstrations. Remember earlier when I said you always end up doing something different? Told ya.

At 11 a.m., Guy Fieri hosted the first demonstration where he taught a crowd of 600 how to make healthy quesadillas. That man is a rock star. The crowd began lining up around 10 and the sound they made when he made his grand entrance was ear piercing. Of course, it was the Kidz Kitchen, so all the student volunteers were in charge of crowd control and seating in the auditorium. Those little children sure do love chefs. At 1 p.m., chef heartthrob Rocco DiSpirito hosted his own cooking demonstration where he made healthy baked onion rings and black bean brownies. DiSpirito came out with several Parrot Jungle Island animals including a monkey on his shoulder. The kids loved that.

Overall, my first-time experience as a SoBe student associate was outstanding. I got to mingle with the best of them. I enjoyed working with other students and it’s great to see how well respected FIU is within the culinary community. We were trusted to handle projects both big and small.

I graduate this April so this was my last opportunity to be a volunteer. I am glad I took it and vow to return next year as a guest. It is a fundraiser for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, after all, and I would be honored to give back to the school that gave me so much.