This year’s lineup included renowned chefs such as:

• Chef Irie, recipient of the prestigious James Beard award and the festival’s official culinary ambassador is a Jamaican culinary trailblazer, whose journey from architecture to the kitchen is as bold and flavorful as his Caribbean-inspired dishes.
• Myriam “Chef Mimi” Charles, the award-winning Haitian pastry chef known for her triumph on Cooking Channel’s “Cake Hunters” and as the founder of Lux Cakery.
• Chef Alain Lemaire, the host chef of the “Luda Can’t Cook” series on Discovery+, brought his Haitian culinary heritage to life with his renowned dish “Ou Manje Deja style,” showcasing his unique flair and flavor.
• Celebrity Chef Paul Griffith, an award-winning Barbadian-born culinary prodigy, is renowned for delighting A-List celebrities, top musicians, NFL stars, and professional athletes. Based in South Florida, Chef Paul travels globally, delivering exceptional dining experiences with his unparalleled flavors and signature artistry.
• Jamaican Chef Troy Tingling of SoulFly Chicken, served up his signature fried chicken sando sandwich and did a tasting on Foodie Avenue showcasing his recently opened SouFly Chicken restaurant in the heart of Miami’s Wynwood community. Chef Troy began mixing Caribbean flavors to create fusion recipes that he uses in his recipes today.
• Trinidadian culinary sensation Shaun Alexander of Foodie Nation wowed the crowd with a rendition of his viral cocoa-rubbed pork bao bun and pineapple and tamarind chutney sauce.

Chefs gave guests of the fete a taste of what they do in the kitchen and around the world with plays on their signature dishes. Chef Lemaire’s conch tacos, Chef Irie’s snapper escovitch with breadfruit salad, and Chef Paul’s Bajan-style macaroni pie with crisp pork belly were all received with heavy applause.

Alongside the chef demos, this year’s fete also showcased local caterers and small businesses on “Foodie Avenue”. These culinary creatives brought their flavor to the experience, showcasing a little bit of their island’s flair. Kimesha Chong of Kanin Catering, known for her Caribbean vegan dishes sampled her play on a jerk oxtail taco using breadfruit while UserXCatering wowed guests with a play on Trinidad’s official street food “doubles”. WIPS pepper sauce also joined in on the action making their signature “chows” in cucumber, mango, and pineapple flavors using their staple scotch bonnet-infused pepper sauce.

No Caribbean fete experience would be complete without the electrifying sounds of Soca music, the driving force and rhythm behind many fetes and all-inclusive experiences around the region. Food, Wine, and Fete delivered a jam-packed lineup of the most buzzed-about DJs and Soca Artistes, Teddyson John of St. Lucia and King Bubba of Barbados, who not only performed at this year’s experience but tried out their hands in the kitchen too! Vincentian soca singer, Kevin Lyttyle also joined in on the soca musical extravaganza.

DJ Ryan Sayeed, LL Cool Blaze, TeamSoca’s DJ Spice, Barrie Hype, and DJ Mark D turned up the heat, electrifying the crowd all evening. Tourism brands also got in on the action with spectacular getaways including The Buccaneer Hotel which surprised one lucky winner with a 4-day, 3-night stay to their spectacular property in the St. Croix, USVI along with a foodie tour 2. St. Lucia’s coveted Calabash Cove Resort and Spa also awarded one lucky patron with a lavish 5-day, 4-night stay.

Premiere Spirits sponsor Proximo Spirits rolled out a nine-round tasting and clear old-fashioned showcasing their Cristalino Collection of tequilas including their popular Dobel Maestro, 1800, and El Gran Centenario. Wine lovers were treated to an array of wines including La Fete Rose, The Pale Rose, Château La Mascaronne, and rum aficionados were treated to neat pours by Dominican brand Ron Barcelo along with tastings by Carib Brewery featuring Caribe hard cider, Shandy spritzers and their Caribbean staple, cold classic Carib beers. Guests were treated to a dazzling drone courtesy of Luna Lite Drone Show Company to close out a day of food, fun, and feteing.

“We are so deeply humbled and filled with gratitude by the outpouring of support we received for our second annual Food, Wine & Fete. Over 800 people joined us in celebrating the passion, world-renowned food, infectious energy, and unique culture that is the melting pot of the Caribbean” says event co-founder Vanessa James. “We created Food, Wine, and Fete with one goal in mind; to amplify and celebrate the array of creatives that we have had the pleasure of connecting and working with throughout the years who often get overlooked. Our goal is to continue to grow this unique festival year after year, and spark a new generation of cultural events and experiences that elevate Caribbean ingenuity and culture,” says James.

Participating sponsors for Food, Wine, and Fete 2024 included: Vanessa James Media, Proximo Spirits Cristalino Tequila collection, La Fete Rosé, The Buccaneer Hotel – St. Croix, Virgin Island Food Tours, The Calabash Cove Resort and Spa St. Lucia, Ron Barcelo, The Pale Rosé, Carib Beer, Caribe Hard Cider, WIPS (West Indian Pepper Sauce), Best Dressed Plate, LifeNetforFamilies, and Franki Fitz Consulting and LunaLiteDrone Show.

Food, Wine, and Fete offers a unique opportunity for brands to tap into an affluent, well-traveled, and highly motivated diverse community of South Florida’s Caribbean diaspora to showcase their offerings. Partnership and press opportunities allow brands to stand out amid a sea of motivated patrons eager to engage. For more information about future partnerships and sampling opportunities, visit www.foodwineandfete.com. Follow the Food, Wine, and Fete fun on Instagram and Facebook.

About Food Wine & Fete:

Founded by Vanessa James and Marcos Rodriguez, Food, Wine, and Fete is a premium all-inclusive Soca fete experience celebrating the Caribbean’s vibrant culture – our chefs, artists, and community. Conceptualized with a deep-seated passion for celebrating Caribbean roots and amplifying the creativity of the vibrant and talented diaspora. Born out of a love for travel, carnival, Soca music, and the delicious culinary scene of the Caribbean, Food, Wine, and Fete was born.

The first-of-its-kind all-inclusive Food, Wine, and Fete is an annual event that debuted in 2019 to a sold-out crowd of 500 foodies and Soca aficionados with a similar passion for celebrating Caribbean culture. In its second year, returning to Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, Food Wine & Fete will also highlight Caribbean brands, and feature curated pop-up experiences, giveaways, and a few fun surprises.

As proud children of the Caribbean, this legacy project is Vanessa and Marcos’ unique way of highlighting the diverse Caribbean diaspora and its many touch points including travel, music, food, and live culinary experiences. Although the Caribbean is known as the birthplace of rum, wine enthusiasts are now able to explore the many pairings of their delicious island food with their favorite wine too. For more information about partnership opportunities, vendor sampling opportunities, and press inquiries, visit www.foodwineandfete.com. Follow the Food, Wine, and Fete fun on Instagram and Facebook.