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SOBEWFF® Top 25

In honor of the South Beach Wine and Food Festival®'s 25th anniversary in 2026, FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management recognizes the Top 25 influential alumni and industry leaders who have made a significant impact on SOBEWFF®.  These key figures have used their vision and leadership to shape the  Festival into the nation’s largest wine and food event,  powered by more than 1,500 students and alumni each year and  raising more than  $45M for the Chaplin School. 

Check out the full list below

25 Years of Impact

What began in 1997 as the Florida Extravaganza at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus, spearheaded by late hospitality professor and alumnus Patrick “Chip” Cassidy, evolved into a nationally recognized event in 2002 when Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Chief Communications Officer Lee Brian Schrager partnered with Food Network and relocated it to South Beach. Since then, SOBEWFF® has delivered experiential learning to more than 30,000 FIU students while showcasing celebrity chefs, Grammy-winning artists, and leading personalities from the worlds of wine and spirits.

 

Lee Brian Schrager & the SOBEWFF® Committee

Culinary & Restaurant Leaders

Media

  • Andrew Kaplan

    Andrew Kaplan
    VP of Culinary Operations for the Rachael Ray brand; Co-Founder and Director of Yum-o!; Host and Executive Producer of the Beyond the Plate™ and Clean Plate Club podcasts, and the Founder and CEO of Culinary Advisors LLC

  • George Arango

    George Arango
    Content Creator

SOBEWFF® Recipes by Chef Michelle Bernstein

For the 25th anniversary of SOBEWFF®, we partnered with James Beard Award–winning chef and this year’s Tribute Dinner honoree, Chef Michelle Bernstein, to curate a special food offering for our Goya Foods' Grand Tasting Village activation. Chef Michelle Bernstein is best known for her trailblazing approach to Latin‑inspired cuisine, showcased across her iconic restaurant portfolio, which includes beloved concepts like Café La Trova and La Cañita. 

To honor her in our own way, FIU Chaplin School students will be crafting two of her signature dishes: the Cuban Sandwich Empanadas and Key Lime Pie Cookies. Can’t make it to the sand this year? No worries, Chef Bernstein shared the recipes so you can try them at home! 

Cuban Sandwich Empanadas

Key Lime Pie Cookies