While culinary giants like New York and Los Angeles still dominate the national conversation, Miami has steadily risen to the top of the culinary food chain. Recently ranked America’s #1 foodie city, Miami earned the title for its rare balance of relative affordability, food quality, diversity, and Michelin-star power—driven by a bold fusion of Latin, Caribbean, and global culinary influences.
For 25 years, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) has embodied this spirit. A feast among feasts, the festival draws world-renowned chefs, innovative culinary talent, and passionate food lovers from around the globe to Miami’s sunny shores. With over 100 events over 4 days, SOBEWFF’s unapologetic luxury, star power, and top-tier food have helped popularize global cuisines through experiences like Taste of Italy and the Asian Night Market.
This year, SOBEWFF proudly expands that spotlight with Las Lap Link Up: A Celebration of Afro-Caribbean Cuisine, hosted by Kwame Onwuachi and Nina Compton. Held late into the night—true to Caribbean culture’s “last lap” tradition—the event honors the deep roots and vibrant evolution of Afro-Caribbean food.
At the heart of Afro-Caribbean cuisine is Africa—the Motherland. The depth and diversity of African influence across Caribbean foodways reflect the distinct routes of the transatlantic slave trade, shaping islands such as Jamaica, Trinidad, the Bahamas, Haiti, and Barbados, to name a few. Ingredients like allspice, thyme, Scotch bonnet, and coconut milk appear across the region, anchoring dishes built around rice, cassava, and plantains.
For South Florida’s Caribbean community, this cuisine has never been a trend—it’s everyday life. Afro-Caribbean food has long existed in plain sight, waiting for the world to catch up. With SOBEWFF’s endorsement, that moment has officially arrived.
Chefs including Kwame Onwuachi, Nina Compton, JJ Johnson, and Tristen Epps are leading this global awakening with unique flavor profiles that are vibrant and innovative, yet deeply rooted in ancestral tradition—elevated without losing its soul.
Kwame Onwuachi is among the most influential chefs of his generation. His New York City restaurant, Tatiana, has been widely hailed as one of the best in the city, earning international recognition. Mentioning Kwame’s name in food circles is culinary currency.
He is joined by James Beard Award–winning chef Nina Compton, owner of Compère Lapin in New Orleans. Known for her soulful, creative approach to Caribbean cuisine, Compton has carved out space in a male-dominated industry.
“For so long, French cuisine was considered the global standard,” Compton explains. “Caribbean food was seen as takeaway food—roadside food. Every island has a version of the “pan chicken man” late at night on the corner. Now, there’s respect for Caribbean chefs at the highest levels. Our food finally has a seat at the table.”
That shift is evident at SOBEWFF’s JJ Johnson’s The Cookout. A pioneer in championing Black cuisine at the festival, Johnson blends food, culture, and star power into an electric experience featuring top Black chefs, live music, and iconic flavors—from jerk lamb ribs to curry goat sliders. This year hip hop legend joins The Cookout for an exciting live performance.
Also featured at SOBEWFF is Tristen Epps, the Trinidadian-rooted culinary prodigy who won Top Chef 2025 with dishes that honored Afro-Caribbean flavors, while pushing creative boundaries with completely innovative dishes.
Once overlooked, Afro-Caribbean cuisine now commands global admiration. The foodie world is officially in love. Rich, complex, and time-tested, Afro-Caribbean cuisine is no longer emerging—it has arrived.
For more information and tickets, visit www.sobewff.org.
