Guy Fieri Rocked 2009 SoBe Wine & Food Festival
Food Network Star Hosted Barilla Interactive Cooking Lunch in Miami
Feb 23, 2009
Music jammed as Food Network star Guy Fieri crushed and tossed dry Barilla pasta while entering the ballroom of the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. The crowd of 300 cheered and applauded the spiky blonde-haired star of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, Guy’s Big Bite, and Guy Off the Hook. Fieri made his way to the stage and demonstrated how to prepare the dish he described as being responsible for him winning Season 2 of The Next Food Network Star in 2006, “Tequila Turkey Fettuccine.”
Barilla Interactive Cooking Lunch with Guy Fieri: The Experience
Portable stove top grills sat at the head of each table in the Biltmore ballroom and portioned ingredients sat off to the side. Of the nine guests seated per table, two were designated to prepare an entrée while guest chefs walked the audience through the cooking process. Each table had two culinary students from a local college to assist in the entrée preparation. Aprons and paper chef hats were provided along with recipe cards to take home.
While Guy Fieri was the primary host, the first dish demonstration was given by Chef Edmondo Sarti of San Francisco-based Pasta Pomodoro, a chain of more than 40 restaurants. The Italian chef prepared “Campanelle with Shrimp and Asparagus.”
When Guy Fieri took the stage, it was evident the man’s an entertainer. Donning his silver rimmed sunglasses during the event, the Food Network star interacted with the crowd by occasionally tossing out t-shirts and one of his favorite kitchen accessories, plastic squeeze bottles. He ventured into the audience and checked on some of the amateur chefs. Midway through the entrée preparation he took off his white and black chef’s jacket and autographed it, giving it to an audience participant who promised to use it in a fundraiser for a children's charity.
As the name implies, the “Tequila Turkey Fettuccine” recipe included tequila and Fieri encouraged everyone at each table to take a shot. Two members of Guy Fieri’s posse, Dirty P. and Kleetus, mingled with the audience while drinking cans of Bud Light.
Following the event, Guy Fieri signed his travel guidebook/cookbook, Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and other pieces of memorabilia. Guests left the interactive cooking event with a goody bag from title sponsor Barilla which included an insulated shoulder bag, boxes of pasta, jars of sauce and seasoning, spatula, recipe cards, and a Dama stovetop espresso maker by Bialetti, another event sponsor. Sam’s Club provided the wine while other sponsors were The Cellar Club at the Biltmore, Acqua Panna, Chefwear, Illy, S. Pellegrino, and Viva.
Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival: What is It?
Presented by Food & Wine, the four-day event is the culinary equivalent of a star-studded film festival. Rather than Hollywood starlets and hunks, attendees can mix and mingle with Food Network stars and world-renowned celebrity chefs. It’s an indulgence in wine, food, cooking demonstrations, and parties. Sponsors seize the opportunity to preview new products. In addition to a tasting pavilion where celebrity chefs such as Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, and Rachel Ray offer demonstrations, more intimate events are offered over the long weekend, such as the Barilla Interactive Cooking Lunch with Guy Fieri.
Next year’s Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival is scheduled for February 25 – 28, 2010.
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