This 2020 was my second year at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SOBEWFF). While last year I did the signature events– ‘Best of the Best’ was my favorite!– this year, I wanted to do just the ‘Intimate Dinners.’ I think that when most people who haven’t been to SOBEWFF look up the festival, they are under the impression that it’s predominantly tented parties on the beach with thousands of people having a good time. Well yes, there are signature events in that format but there’s a lot more. To put things in perspective, there are over a hundred events that take place in five days (this year, it was from February 19 to 23, 2020) with over 65,000 people in attendance. The ‘Intimate Dinners’ ($250-$500, depending on the dinner) are sit-down, hosted by top chefs (who may be changing the landscape of their country’s cuisine; James Beard awardees and nominees; Food Network & Cooking Channel talents; or leading Michelin-starred or World’s 50 Best restaurants) for only approximately a hundred people at a time, with multi-courses paired with wines– totally up my alley!

I’m so grateful that we got to attend the dinners that were on the top  of my list! I’ve said it before but I seriously believe in the law of attraction!

So without further ado, let’s get down to the dinners!

Tomás Kalika (Mishiguene, Buenos Aires)

Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann at Faena Hotel Miami Beach

Tomás Kalika’s Mishiguene (No. 20 on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants) honors Argentina’s Jewish immigrant heritage by reinventing Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Israeli and Middle Eastern dishes, and I have been extremely fascinated by his cuisine. Since I’ve not yet been to Buenos Aires (and not sure yet when I’ll be able to make it down there), it was my absolute mission to attend his dinner at fellow Argentine Francis Mallmann’s Los Fuegos restaurant at Faena Miami Beach. And let  me tell you, it exceeded my expectations.

The evening started with pass-arounds of gribenes (chicken cracklings topped with chicken liver pâté, onion marmalade) and falafel before we were ushered to our tables. Then, it was sharing plates of Kalika’s signature Babaganoush, Kibbeh Naia (steak tartar, bulgur, harissa sauce, labneh) and individual plates of Varenikes (potato ravioli with candied onions and schmaltaz and gribenes), Pastrami Short Rib (truffled farfalach and honey-cognac reduction in natural juice), and Baklava, all washed down with excellent wines and made even more memorable with excellent company. Kalika’s wife Paula Kohan was at our table along with Faena consultant Maria Linkous and Gluttonomy founder Nidal Barake, and Kalika’s partners. Watch out Miami, Kalika will be opening a concept here soon!

JJ Johnson (Field Trip Harlem, New York) with host chefs Michael Schwartz and Michael Paley

Amara at Paraiso

I am a big fan of food as culture and I love how JJ Johnson translates food of the African diaspora into delicious plates. I first tried his food when he was doing the residency at Chef’s Club New York with my friend Aaron Arizpe, who was curating it at the time, and I remember tremendously enjoying his udon with braised goat in West African peanut sauce. In July 2019, JJ opened Field Trip in Harlem, “a community-based dining experience that celebrates culture through the shared experience of rice,” and I was looking forward to trying out his dishes at this dinner.

The views at Amara at Paraiso are stunning, and the collaboration dinner, which was held at the terrace offered that to the guests. JJ served egusi-crusted tuna in coconut broth, and a plantain gnudi with West African peanut sauce. Host chefs Michael Schwartz and Michael Paley created a joint dish of Linz Heritage Angus Dry-Aged New York Strip Steak, and a Kaffir Lime Tart for dessert. The highlight for me was being introduced to an incredible rosé wine– Garrus– by Château d’Esclans (same folks behind Whispering Angel and Rock Angel), made from the red grape grenache and the white grape rolle from 80-year-old vines. No wonder, it tasted kind of like a reserve rosé! Back in 2015, Forbes had named it the world’s most expensive rosé wine, and I have no doubt it remains one of the pricer ones to this date. We had a great time chatting with Genuine Hospitality Group (the company that owns Amara at Paraiso, Michael’s Genuine, etc.) CEO Sunil Bhatt and his beautiful wife Dana, and they graciously shared a 2014 Château Calon-Ségur with us.

Dario Cecchini (Antica Macelleria Cecchini, Chianti), Eyal Shani (Miznon and HaSalon) with host chef Fabio Vaccarella

The Patio at the Continuum

To have ‘The Cauliflower King’ Eyal Shani (Miznon- Tel Aviv, Paris, Melbourne, New York; and HaSalon- Tel Aviv, New York) and the world’s most famous butcher Dario Cecchini (Antica Macelleria Cecchini, Chianti) cook together at The Continuum residences’ Patio with executive chef Fabio Vaccarella… it was definitely one of the highlights of my 2020 SOBEWFF.

This dinner was primarily for residents and their guests but a select number of tickets were made available to the public.

The chefs’ passion were so evident from their palpable energies to their dishes. Eyal’s burning beetroot ravioli intentionally followed the waves, and he prepared the freshest roasted snapper— literally one of the best I’ve ever had! Dario, to AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells,” sliced cuts of meat which he tossed to the guests, which later on became bistecca alla Fiorentina with Chianti butter on our plates. These courses were in between Fabio’s truffle burrata and ricotta cheesecake. My partner Rodney (who has been to Cecchini’s place in Italy) and I had a wonderful time with our table-mates Pulitzer-Prize winning author and and Palm Beach Post food editor Liz Balmaseda and her niece Natalie!

I loved energy, food, wines, hospitality and company. We left the event with great memories!

The next South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SOBEWFF) will be held in February 2021. Proceeds from SOBEWFF events benefit the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University. For more information, please visit the website