Life (And Food) is Good at the Beach

MIAMI BEACH, Fla., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Centerplate, the leading partner to North America's premier sports stadiums, convention centers and entertainment venues, as well as the hospitality partner to the 2012 and 2013 NFL Super Bowls, is proud to announce its participation in the premier event of the culinary world, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami Beach. For this world-renowned culinary celebration, Centerplate has been chosen to provide food, service staff and logistical support for many of SOBE Wine and Food's premier venues, including celebrity chef demonstrations by a star-studded array of culinary giants like Emeril Lagasse, Guy Fieri, Rachel Ray, Andrew Zimmern, and local Chef Michael Schwartz from Michael's Genuine restaurant in Miami, Florida.

The 11th annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which last year hosted over 50,000 guests, is a distinguished, open-air event showcasing the talents of the world's most recognized chefs and personalities. Partnering with Florida International University and Southern Wine and Spirits, Centerplate will donate its kitchen and facility resources at the Miami Beach Convention Center to celebrity chefs and Florida International University students in preparation for the festival's "Q" event, a celebration of barbeque and champagne pairings.

Centerplate's Regional Executive chef, Jonathan Barnett has also been invited to participate in the Moet Hennessy's "Q" event as a guest chef. Chef Barnett will feature his favorite dish: lamb burnt ends, smoky baked beans, pikliz Caribbean coleslaw,  and Grand Marnier drizzle.  Also, Chef Barnett and his culinary team will produce two reception tasting items for The Farm to Table Brunch: a Ruby red grapefruit topped with Winter Park Dairy Black & Bleu cheese with sweet guava and spearmint and Rosemary Roasted Russian fingerling potatoes with pepper bacon and topped with a bearnaise sauce.

Nick Tierno, Centerplate's General Manager at the Miami Beach Convention Center said, "It is an honor to participate in such a prestigious Festival; it is a sign of our commitment to both the City of Miami Beach and to hospitality excellence. We are proud to open our kitchen to the chefs and students at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Centerplate has long given our facility a reputation for culinary excellence and we look forward to showing off the resources and menus that keep our guests raving."

Centerplate is especially proud to partner with Florida International University, giving culinary students the experience of a lifetime, at a world-class event.

"Now, it is the place to be, it is incomparable in scope and passion. Hundreds of hospitality pros and students learning and working side by side, yes life is good at the beach," said Michael Moran, Lead Culinary Professor at Florida International University. "Our partnership with Centerplate allows our students the opportunity for interaction with great role models like Executive Chef Jonathan Barnett. Being able to work together with Centerplate and their team in a state-of-the-art facility is an example of the hospitality industry at its best."

Centerplate supported events at the 2012 South Beach Wine & Food Festival include:

• The "Q" hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri
• The "Burger Bash" hosted by Rachel Ray
• "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" hosted by the Food Network
• "Food Truck Rally" with Andrew Zimmern
• "Farm to Table Brunch" hosted by Chef Michael Schwartz (Michael's Genuine restaurant in Miami, Florida) at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden
• Grand Tasting Village, where Centerplate partners with major corporate sponsors

About Centerplate:

Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in over 250 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America – annually serving over 100 million guests. Centerplate has provided event hospitality services to 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. The company was recently named the fastest growing restaurant/ hospitality group in the country by Nation's Restaurant News. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com or like us on Facebook.

SOURCE Centerplate