Jonathan Waxman receives SOBEWFF’s anniversary tribute

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival marked its fifteenth anniversary with a tribute dinner honoring Jonathan Waxman, Rob Sands and Richard Sands. The February 27 event at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel brought chef and restaurateur Waxman together with the Constellation Brands leaders, with Tom Colicchio guiding the evening.

The program connected cooking, wine and live entertainment, including the Potash Twins. That combination reflects the festival’s understanding of hospitality as a complete occasion rather than a plate considered in isolation. The setting, service and company help determine how a meal is remembered.

Fifteen years also give the tribute a history within the festival itself. The annual recognition creates a record of figures who have shaped the industry, while the surrounding weekend introduces their work to a broader audience. This year’s honorees added another chapter to that record in Miami Beach.