Here's a reason to get excited!
The South Beach Wine & Food Festival ticket presale starts today. The presale, which is exclusively for MasterCard holders, gives SBWFF and FIU-benefitting lovers a whole two weeks to buy tickets before they go on sale to the general public October 22.
Festival fiends that we are, we've compiled a nifty list of the most sought-after events whose tickets you'll want to get your hands on before they sell out. Trust us, they will fly fast. From timeless events like Burger Bash and Tribute Dinner, to newcomers like a Jiro Dreams of Sushi screening with Anthony Bourdain, the next six gigs will almost certainly be sold out in no time.
Get to reading because our favorite time of the year is fast approaching, and there's no time to waste.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi Screening: This hot-ticket item is our number one newcomer. The film screening will be followed by a Q&A hosted by our favorite bon vivant, Anthony Bourdain. Afterward, there will be a sushi and sake tasting with Katsuya Uchejiro. Date: Friday, February 22. Ticket price: $125.
Q After Dark: There are two things the world could use more of: barbecue and Curtis Stone. Plenty of these world rarities will be on hand at this awesome gig, where the booze will flow, the breeze with be breezy, and the barbecue will be spicy and sticky. Hot damn, what could be better? Ladies, this event takes place on the sand, so wear appropriate shoes (no heels). Date: Thursday, February 21. Ticket price: $100.
Burger Bash: Probably the most anticipated event, Burger Bash is not to be missed. Last year (and the year before that), Michael Symon reigned king of the burgers with his stellar ingredient combinations. Will he win again in 2013? Will an underdog trump his rule? Who knows. The best way to find out is to go. Rachael Ray will host the party, and you better believe you'll be rubbing elbows with the likes of Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri, among others. Date: Friday, February 22. Ticket price: $225.
Tribute Dinner: This year, the honor goes to Nobu Matsuhisa (of Nobu) and Christophe Navarre (of Moët Hennessy). World-renowned chefs will personally oversee every aspect of your dinner that night. Each toque has a prospective contribution and part of the selection of courses. You can expect to eat genius offerings from Daniel Boulud, Thomas Buckley, Ricky Estrellado, and Roy Yamaguchi, among others. Date: Saturday, February 23. Ticket price: $500.
Grand Tasting Village: The most popular event of the festival, Grand Tasting Village is the best way to broaden your chances of seeing your favorite celebrity chef. Just last year, we watched Masaharu Morimoto make sushi for us. Then we bumped into Bobby Flay. Then we caught Paula Deen sitting in on her son's cooking demo. And between all of the celebrity sightings and photo ops, we wandered over to the massive tents that house every nibble you could imagine. And plenty of booze to wash it all down. Date: Saturday, February 23, and Sunday, February 24. Ticket price: $225.
Best of the Best: They don't call it Best of the Best for nothing. Best promises the ultimate in food and wine. Some of the nation's best new chefs will cook up the vittles, while a small fortune's worth of wineries will pair some of the world's best wines. Expect all wines to be rated 90 points or higher and the food to be tens across the board. It is called the Best of the Best, after all. Date: Friday, February 22. Ticket price: $350.
Visit sobefest.com to start buying.
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