MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®), is thrilled to announce the return of FoodieCon® presented by StarKist®. This groundbreaking event brings digital food content to life through immersive, interactive experiences. FoodieCon® provides fans with a unique opportunity to directly engage with their favorite social media culinary creators through live cooking demonstrations, interactive panels, exclusive meet-and-greets, and behind-the-scenes insights into the world of food content creation. Set to take place on February 22nd at the Mondrian South Beach, this iteration of FoodieCon® presented by StarKist® will feature top viral culinary personalities, offering an unprecedented platform for food enthusiasts to learn, connect, and experience the vibrant digital food community in a live, engaging format.
Now in its fifth iteration, FoodieCon® has established itself as the premier gathering for culinary content creators and their audiences. This innovative event recognizes the immense influence of social media in shaping food trends and consumer behavior, providing a unique platform for direct interaction between fans and their favorite digital personalities.
Founded by Lee Brian Schrager, SOBEWFF® and NYCWFF have brought together top international culinary talent and celebrities—from Alain Ducasse and Massimo Bottura to Snoop Dog, Martha Stewart, and Bobby Flay—for 23 years, generating more than $50 million in net proceeds for its charitable causes. Over the years, Schrager watched the role and influence of content creators exponentially grow within the culinary world and recognized an untapped opportunity to bring together this new generation of tastemakers. By bringing social media's digital environment to life, FoodieCon® provides a platform for the content creator community to think about the role and influence of social media in the larger culinary landscape and for fans to interact directly with their favorite personalities.
FoodieCon® promises an electrifying lineup of events on the Hexclad Main Stage, showcasing the crème de la crème of digital food content creators and setting the stage for engaging panels and interactive sessions. Attendees can expect to dive into "The Creator Economy: Cashing In" with viral sensations like Nick DiGiovanni and Keith Lee, explore the dynamics of "Couples Who Content," and uncover "The Viral Factor" with trending foodie influencers. The excitement ramps up with "In the Hot Seat with Tari Hot Sauce: 305 Edition," where Miami's top food personalities face spicy challenges, and culminates in the thrilling "FoodieCon® Olympics," pitting creators against each other in a series of culinary and content creation challenges.
“FoodieCon embodies a dynamic intersection of food culture, technology, and social media, making it an essential event for anyone passionate about the culinary world. By fostering innovation and community, it promises to inspire participants and redefine their relationship with food in a modern context,” said Lee Brian Schrager, Festival Founder & Director.
FoodieCon®, the groundbreaking event bridging digital and culinary worlds, has experienced exponential growth since its inception in February 2023. The event has accumulated approximately 12 billion impressions across its iterations, averaging an impressive 3 billion per event. With attendance more than doubling since its launch, FoodieCon® has forged over 50 brand partnerships to date, showcasing the immense influence of digital food content creators. The event has featured top viral personalities with massive followings, alongside celebrities like Neil Patrick Harris and Guy Fieri. This star-studded lineup has been instrumental in the event's success and rapid growth, with the 2025 lineup boasting a combined social media reach of nearly 120 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
FoodieCon® has quickly become a cornerstone of SOBEWFF®, selling out in previous years and garnering coverage from major media outlets. The event's success underscores the growing influence of digital content creators in the culinary world and the desire for authentic, in-person connections in an increasingly digital landscape.
As with all SOBEWFF® events, tickets for FoodieCon® are now available and sold separately, with 100% of net proceeds directly benefiting the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University, furthering the Festival's longstanding commitment to education and industry advancement.
The lineup of content creators and full schedule can be found on the website HERE.
Participating sponsors for the event include StarKist®, a socially responsible protein company that will be showcasing its Mashup Challenge to celebrate its bold flavors and versatility; HexClad Cookware; Florida International University; Jennifer’s Homemade; Rummo Pasta; Schweid & Sons; Books & Books; Mondrian South Beach; Acqua Panna and S. Pellegrino; and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits.
FoodieCon® tickets are priced at $100 (taxes & fees included) and are available for purchase at sobewff.org/foodiecon. Follow @foodiecon on Instagram and TikTok (@foodieconfest). For more information on the 2025 South Beach Wine & Food Festival®, please reference the press release HERE.
Lee Brian Schrager
Lee Brian Schrager, named “The Food Festival Booker” by The New York Times, is the founder of the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (NYCWFF) and the South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®). He is also the Chief Communications Officer for Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. Over the past two decades, SOBEWFF® and NYCWFF have collectively raised more than $50 million for their respective benefiting charities.
South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One
EAT. DRINK. EDUCATE. Net proceeds from the Festival benefit the students of the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management who also assist Festival organizers with sponsorship fulfillment, restaurant and exhibitor recruitment, logistics, and inventory as well as working alongside some of the world’s greatest celebrity chefs and winemakers. To date, SOBEWFF® has raised more than $37 million for the School. In November 2022, BizBash named the Festival the #1 Food & Restaurant Industry event in the United States for the tenth year in a row.
The South Beach Wine & Food Festival® is produced by Florida International University and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors & Convention Authority and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information about the Festival, visit sobewff.org or call 866.271.8540. For more information about Florida International University visit fiu.edu, for the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management visit hospitality.fiu.edu and for more information about Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits visit southernglazers.com.
