SOBEWFF connects cinema and cooking at Preston’s

Alex Guarnaschelli, José Mendín, Santo Agnello and Christopher Aguirre hosted a South Beach Wine & Food Festival dinner at Preston’s on February 24. The program drew inspiration from The Godfather films, giving the meal a recognizable cultural reference beyond the usual description of cuisine.

A theme of this kind works by connecting food with memories already carried by the audience. A film can make a table, a family ritual or a particular dish feel familiar before a guest takes a seat.

The Loews Miami Beach setting brought that idea into a festival program built around collaborations. Several chefs could interpret a shared reference without having to represent the same restaurant. The result was a distinctly framed occasion within a weekend whose variety comes from those temporary combinations of people and ideas.