increasingly being recognized<\/a> by major culinary institutions such as the James Beard Foundation \u2014 a U.S.-based organization that honors excellence in food and hospitality \u2014 and the Michelin Guide, the global restaurant rating system known for awarding prestigious stars. Caribbean chefs are frequently appearing among national nominees.<\/p>\n\n 1 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a005.17.2025 FWF-168.JPG\n <\/p>\n
Food, Wine and Fet<\/p>\n
Food, Wine and Fet<\/p>\n
\n 2 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a01. Founders Marcos Rodriguez and Vanessa James (Photo by Colin Subratie).jpg\n <\/p>\n
Founders Marcos Rodriguez and Vanessa James<\/p>\n
Colin Subratie<\/p>\n
\n 3 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0Can you bend 1.jpg\n <\/p>\n
Food, Wine and Fet<\/p>\n
Food, Wine and Fet<\/p>\n
\n 4 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0Chef Paul is always the life of the fete – catch him headlining VIP this year.jpg\n <\/p>\n
Chef Paul is always the life of the fete – catch him headlining VIP this year.<\/p>\n
Food, Wine and Fet<\/p>\n
\n 5 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0FoodieNation’s Cocoa Rubbed Pork Bao’s ((Photo credit_ Ricardo Reyes).jpg\n <\/p>\n
FoodieNation’s Cocoa Rubbed Pork Bao’s<\/p>\n
Ricardo Reyes<\/p>\n
\n 6 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a005.17.2025 FWF-357.JPG\n <\/p>\n
Food, Wine and Fet<\/p>\n
Food, Wine and Fet<\/p>\n
\n 7 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0Chef Alain Lemaire returns this year to give our VIP a taste of his infamous Haitian style Conch Tacos (Photo by Ricardo Reyes).jpg\n <\/p>\n
Chef Alain Lemaire returns this year to give our VIP a taste of his infamous Haitian style Conch Tacos<\/p>\n
Ricardo Reyes<\/p>\n
\n 8 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0The Caribbean diaspora come alive at FWF.jpg\n <\/p>\n
The Caribbean diaspora come alive at FWF<\/p>\n
\n 9 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0HERO 3_ 1. Lead shot (left to right). 2025’s Live Demo was on fire with Founder Vanessa James, Chef Simeon Hall Jr., Soca Artist Farmer Nappy and Chef Irie (Photo by Navindra Harbukhan).jpg\n <\/p>\n
Lead shot (left to right). 2025’s Live Demo was on fire with Founder Vanessa James, Chef Simeon Hall Jr., Soca Artist Farmer Nappy and Chef Irie<\/p>\n
Navindra Harbukhan<\/p>\n
\n 10 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0A Feter enjoying the Soca music (Photo Credit Colin Subratie).JPG\n <\/p>\n
A Feter enjoying the Soca music<\/p>\n
Colin Subratie<\/p>\n
\n 11 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0Founder of Luna Lite Drone Technologies Adrian Allen, FWF Founder Vanessa James and Host Giselle The Wassi One electrify the station at FWF.jpg\n <\/p>\n
Founder of Luna Lite Drone Technologies Adrian Allen, FWF Founder Vanessa James and Host Giselle The Wassi One electrify the station at FWF.<\/p>\n
Food, Wine and Fet<\/p>\n
\n 12 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0CEO of Lux Cakery and Cooking Channel star Chef Mimi Charles wows us ever year with her dynamic desserts.jpg\n <\/p>\n
CEO of Lux Cakery and Cooking Channel star Chef Mimi Charles <\/p>\n
\n 13 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a02. Chef Irie, Teddyson John, and host Carla Hill cooking live during their interactive Soca Demo (Photo Credit_ Ricardo Reyes).jpg\n <\/p>\n
Chef Irie, Teddyson John, and host Carla Hill cooking live during their interactive Soca Demo<\/p>\n
Ricardo Reyes<\/p>\n
\n 14 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0Carnival Wings and Fete’n go hand in hand.JPG\n <\/p>\n
\n 15 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0HERO 1_ Our Lineup of Chefs (Left to right Founder Marcos Rodriguez, culinary ambassador Chef Irie, Chef Mimi Charles, Founder Vanessa James, Chef Paul Griffth, Chef Christian and Chef Simeon Hall pause for a photo before heading to the act.jpg\n <\/p>\n
FWF’s Lineup of Chefs (Left to right Founder Marcos Rodriguez, culinary ambassador Chef Irie, Chef Mimi Charles, Founder Vanessa James, Chef Paul Griffth aka Chef Paul, Chef Christian and Chef Simeon Hall pause for a photo before heading to the act<\/p>\n
\n 16 of 16
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0FWF Live Cooking Demos are always a buzz! Pictured here, Founder Vanessa James, Soca Artist Farmer Nappy, Culinary Ambassador Chef Irie along with fans (Photo b Ricardo Reyes).jpg\n <\/p>\n
Our Live Cooking Demos are always a buzz! Pictured here, Founder Vanessa James, Soca Artist Farmer Nappy, Culinary Ambassador Chef Irie along with fans<\/p>\n
Ricardo Reyes<\/p>\n
Paul Griffith, better known as Chef Paul, a Bajan celebrity chef who has participated in each previous festival, said there is a significant element of cultural community and unity to the event. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think it’s important because it allows the Caribbean community to come together. A lot of times when you see Caribbean parties, they’re segmented by country,\u201d Chef Paul said. \u201cThis is one big event where we’re all together, collaborating. We’re all united.\u201d<\/p>\n
The all-inclusive festival blends food, culture, and performance, immersing participants in live drumming, vibrant performers and moko jumbies \u2014 West African stilt walkers \u2014 who move among pop-ups and activations. Renowned chefs guide guests through the experience, which culminates in a drone show finale and signature tastings like the \u201cCurry Chicken Ball,\u201d James said.<\/p>\n
More importantly, she said, the festival also educates the public about the park\u2019s history as the only recreational area available to Black residents in Miami during segregation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s interesting because some of those same structures are still there, and we are using them,\u201d James said. \u201cWe’re using the concession stand that people used back in the forties, fifties, and sixties at Historic Virginia Key Beach. That’s where our chefs are cooking. So it means something for us to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
IF YOU GO:
What: Food, Wine and Fet
When: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Where: Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149
For more information, see here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Multi-rhythmic music, upscale Caribbean food and a bright drone show \u2014 an annual beachside festival at Historic Virginia…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":263652,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[123,125,124],"class_list":["post-263651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-miami","tag-miami","tag-miami-headlines","tag-miami-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=263651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/263651\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/263652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=263651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=263651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=263651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}