Reserve Tickets to Go on Sale January 9th for Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Presented by Food & Wine Magazine

Business Wire, Jan 8, 2008

Buy Them While You Can!

MIAMI -- On Wednesday, January 9, 2008 reserve tickets for marquee events at the 2008 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival will go on sale. Tickets for this year's event, celebrated Thursday, February 21 through Sunday, February 24, 2008, sold out within weeks of originally going on sale last October. Now, anxious epicureans will have another, and final, chance to purchase a limited amount of reserved tickets for the following events:

* Amstel Light Burger Bash: Rachael Ray is back to host this second annual event featuring gourmet burgers from close to 20 restaurants across the country including Danny Meyer's Shake Shack returning to defend its "People's Choice Award" title. (Thursday, February 21)

* Mo[R]t & Chandon BubbleQ: Hosted by Giada De Laurentiis, the weekend's signature event pairs great American barbecue from some of the country's hottest chefs with Champagne under the stars on the beach in front of the Delano Hotel. (Friday, February 22)

* Emeril's Sugar Shack: Emeril Lagasse brings together pastry chefs from Emeril's restaurants nationwide sponsored by Perrier-Jouet Champagne at the Raleigh Hotel. (Friday, February 22)

* Publix Grand Tasting Village: Guests will have two days to sample food, wine and spirits in between culinary demonstrations from the country's celebrity chefs on the beach. (Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24)

Reserve tickets for the above listed 2008 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival events will go on sale Wednesday, January 9, 2008. Visit www.sobewineandfoodfest.com or call 1-877-762-3933.

Tickets to other events still available include: Fun and Fit as a Family presented by South Beach Diet and Travel Leisure Family; Kellogg's Kidz Kitchen hosted by Rachael Ray and Jamie Oliver; Bourbon Mixology on the Beach; Crystal Clear Riedel Glass Seminar; Patron Seminar and Geikkekan Sake Seminar. To purchase tickets visit www.sobewineandfoodfest.com or call 1-877-762-3933.

Hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU), the festival benefits the Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center, both located at FIU's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Fun & Fit as a Family receives significant support from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and is funded in part by Health Foundation of South Florida and The Children's Trust, a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County.

The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine magazine is produced by Florida International University and Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors & Convention Authority and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information about Florida International University visit www.fiu.edu, for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management visit www.hospitality.fiu.edu and for more information about Southern Wine & Spirits visit www.southernwine.com.