Seed Food & Wine Festival Continues to Champion Plant-Based Cuisine

Health-minded foodies can meet vegan baker Pamela Wasabi, vegan chef Charly Garcia, and wellness mixologist Jules Aron when South Florida's largest plant-based food festival returns to Miami this week.

This Thursday, November 7, through Sunday, November 10, about 10,000 people are expected to attend the sixth-annual Seed Food & Wine Festival. The event's philosophy — "eat, drink, grow" — continues its founders' mission to support a conscious and sustainable lifestyle through mind, body, spirit, and food.

During the five-day festival, guests can experience cooking demonstrations; wine, craft beer, and spirits tastings; celebrity chef dinners; a veggie burger battle; and workshops that include yoga, urban gardening, and other diversions.

"Year after year, Seed continues to innovate and lead the charge in the wellness realm by bringing together some of the nation’s most talented speakers, chefs, celebrities, athletes and authors,” Seed cofounder Alison Burgos says. "All of our events are designed to encourage learning, growth, and education for everyone. My hope is to start a conversation that continues long after the festivities end."

As in years past, this edition of the festival will present dozens of local, regional, and national chefs, restaurants, and exhibitors, including nationally acclaimed restaurants such as L.A.’s Ramen Hood, Austin's Vegan Nom, Nashville's Avo, and Orlando's Dixie Dharma. All food served at the festival is plant-based and vegan, and a majority of foods are also certified organic and non-GMO.

New this year, Seed will kick off this Thursday with an exciting competition — the Plant-Based Pitch-Off — during which more than 15 health- and wellness-minded startups will present their business plans for a chance to win funding. The free event is dedicated to emerging companies devoted to developing innovative solutions for improving food, beverage, and agriculture locally and nationally. With more than $10,000 in prize money up for grabs, participants will pitch to a panel of industry professionals and some of the nation's most prominent venture capitalists, angel investors, and new-business accelerators.

Seed's opening day will also include the return of the festival's most popular signature event: the fifth-annual Plant-Based Burger Battle. Chefs, restaurants, and national brands from across the nation will vie for the title of "best veggie burger in America." This year’s competitors include the Washington, D.C.-based Shouk, the Colorado-based Meta Burger, and the Magic City's Plant Miami, Vegan Junkie Miami, Planta, Pincho, and others.

This Friday, festivalgoers can attend a number of panels during the Seed Summit. Returning for the fourth year, the summit offers a full day of workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities aimed at providing informative and educational platforms for those seeking to grow their resources, networks, and outreach within the sustainable realm.

Also on Friday, the festival will present two new events: Sit Stay Sip is a "yappy hour” for dogs and their owners. The Taco Tailgate will offer guests delicious dishes and health-minded cocktails from local favorites such as Taquiza, Charly’s Vegan Tacos, and Coyo Taco.

South Florida foodies will be especially excited about the Festival Day Tasting Village this Saturday. The large-scale grand-tasting event will offer food, wine, craft beer, music, organic body care, and clothing. Attendees can eat, drink, and learn during cooking demos on the Tasting Village’s Whole Foods Culinary Stage.

The four-day fest will also offer dinners, a brunch, and yoga. Tickets to Seed cost $25 to $459; a variety of discounts are available, including for families, à la carte options, and all-inclusive VIP packages.

Seed Food & Wine Festival. Thursday, November 7, through Sunday, November 10, at various locations in Miami-Dade. Tickets cost $25 to $459 via seedfoodandwine.com.