SOBEWFF: The Best Moments from the 2023 South Beach Wine & Food Festival

In the blink of an eye, another South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SOBEWFF) has come and gone. Although it was the 22nd year of this fest, there still managed to be unexpected and entertaining highlights.

Audience members were gutsy during demos. There was a compostable option for food scraps, and Maluma surprised audience members. Despite the sweltering heat, attendees laughed, danced, and indulged in the plethora of food and beverages available.

Here are some of the best moments from this year's South Beach Wine and Food Festival.

Miamians Win Big at the Festival

Though chefs and restaurateurs travel far and wide to showcase their food and drink at the festival, Miami toques tend to prove themselves a talented bunch. Call it the home-field advantage, or just call it sheer skill, but 2023 proved no exception. At Thursday's Burger Bash, Fort Lauderdale's BurgerFi and Miami's Motek Café won. At Friday's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Guy Fieri announced that Mojo Donuts received the second-place spot for its doughnuts. At Art of Tiki, Miami's Better Days proved to have the most potent potable at the spirited event.

Maluma Spotted Drinking and Hyping at the Grand Tasting Village

Maluma fans received a double treat at Sunday's Grand Tasting Village. The Colombian singer and superstar stopped by the Contraluz Cristalino mezcal tent, where he took shots and sipped cocktails with fans. Later in the afternoon, Maluma stopped by the David Grutman Experience, where DJ Cedric Gervais entertained the crowd along with DJ Khaled. During the set, Maluma, donning a bright blue-and-white ensemble, hopped onstage and instructed attendees to put their hands up in celebration.

Pickleball with Wine

A cadre of celebrity chefs took the afternoon off from the burger to play pickleball. Whispering Angel wine hosted a celebrity pickleball tournament that saw famous faces like Hunter Fieri, Marcus Samuelsson, Bryan Voltaggio, Jet Tila, Antonia Lofaso, Adrianne Calvo, Todd Wrickson, and David Beckham compete. SOBEWFF's founder, Lee Schrager, and bestie Ana Navarro (also the View co-host) joined in on the fun as Jeff Mauro served as master of ceremonies.

David Grutman in Space

David Grutman and Space Perspective's Jane Poynter were at the SOBEWFF Trade Day to announce the  David Grutman Spaceflight Experience. Starting in 2024, people will be able to travel 20 miles above the earth in a giant balloon. Spacegoers can expect a menu of favorites from Gekkō and Papi Steak, including "on io" nigiri, named after Jupiter's moon, and star-dusted pastrami. Passengers can also imbibe in the "Neptune," made with tequila, lavender butterfly pea flower, and lime, or the "Voyager," a nonalcoholic refresher of aloe, cucumber, basil, and lime.

Giada is a Godmother — of a Cruise Ship

Italian chef Giada De Laurentiis is now the godmother of a cruise ship. She attended an exclusive event at Soho Beach House on Friday, February 24, where Oceania president Frank A. Del Rio announced that De Laurentiis is the godmother of Oceania Cruise's Vista, which will make her debut in May 2023. De Laurentiis will create two signature dishes to be served on board Vista.