FIU student, Angelic Cox, got the chance of a lifetime this past weekend at the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival: She presented her original burger recipe to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives star Guy Fieri at the Festival’s Heineken Light Burger Bash presented by Schweid and Sons. “This scholarship is nothing short of a blessing,” Cox said, encouraging her fellow Panthers to give the contest a try next year. “I’m so proud that Red Robin is doing this, and I really feel like a lot more people should try to apply. It’s so fun – we all eat, right?” Read full article.

FIU News sat down with a group of Panthers who got their start in the hospitality industry working with the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The group, who remain involved with the Festival to this day, shared their stories and some advice for students interested in volunteering with Miami’s premier gourmet gathering. Read full article.

Tales of SOBEWFF® past The annual Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival enters its 17th year of wine, food and philanthropy next month. And Miami’s premier gourmet gathering didn’t weather 16 years without collecting its fair share of interesting stories – and even some teachable moments. Festival Managing Director Devin Padgett shared a few of these stories with FIU News: Read full article.

John Ceriale, founder and president of Prospect Hotel Advisors, meets with FIU hospitality students One of the most influential leaders in the industry, Ceriale, gave valuable advice to FIU hospitality management students as he reflected on his journey and spoke about the skills that helped him achieve success. “Work hard. Be consistent. Hone your skills, and don’t be in a hurry. The tortoise always wins.” A visionary and leading force in the U.S. and worldwide hospitality industry, John Ceriale is Founder and President of Prospect Advisors, which was established in 1998.  Since its founding, Prospect Advisors has been the exclusive hotel advisor on hospitality investments to the Blackstone Group, the largest owner of hospitality assets in the world. Prospect Advisors also does select work with a number of other private equity companies in the hospitality field.