Foodies of Fort Lauderdale, it is that time of year again. The city is about to become the center of the SoFlo food scene.
Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival is back with a week of culinary wonder. And the star of our show: wine!
Things will be sizzling in Broward next week at Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival.
Rory Cooksey: “The 2024 Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival is Broward County’s largest food and wine event.”
That’s no hype. Eateries from all around will be showing off their stuff for you to enjoy.
Rory Cooksey: “You’re experiencing culinary creations from all over Broward County, so it’s not just Fort Lauderdale. It’s literally every city in the county.”
This is the festival’s fifth year. It keeps growing, bringing in big names and showcasing big events.
Rory Cooksey: It’s big enough for people like Aarón Sánchez from ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ to come out here and be one of our headline chefs. We’ve added additional headlining events like Wok ‘n Roll at Backyard.”
Wok ‘n Roll shines a spotlight on the different Asian tastes available in the area.
Diego Ng: “We’re gonna be traveling from east to west, all over Southeast Asia, through all the restaurants that are here in Fort Lauderdale.”
You’ll really get the best of what each place has to offer, and a lot more.
Diego Ng: “Every single restaurant is gonna be showcasing one of their signature dishes. Some of them are gonna be coming up with a lot of fun things.”
Here’s a tip. Do not miss the Kalua pulled pork bao buns. This bit of Polynesian perfection starts with juicy shredded pork.
Diego Ng: “And then we’re gonna put it on a bao bun and serve it with just a little pickled vegetables and a little bit of our very signature gochujang cream.”
Favorite events, like the Barbecue Battle, will be going down once again.
The festival peaks in Las Olas Oceanside Park, where the grand tasting goes down. As always, The Restaurant People, or TRP , will be there.
Chef Martin Verano: “We’re showcasing our restaurants, and we’re showcasing the best dishes of every restaurant. We’re also showcasing a lot of the best cocktails from mixologists in our restaurants.”
TRP is going in a new direction this year.
Chef Martin Verano: “We are doing what we call a beach fireplace style of cooking.”
A prime example of that style is the seafood paella from Boatyard. It’s filled with shellfish, vegetables and rice. It’s a perfect dish for a beach blowout.
Chef Martin Verano: “We’re super excited about the Food & Wine Festival happening again for the fifth time. We’re very excited to be part of it, and now getting bigger and better things going,”
Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival kicks off Monday and runs through Jan. 14.
