Food Festivals Under the Sun

Celebrating the world’s best food with ‘noseworthy’ festivals – from nature-rich Peru to glitzy South Florida

By Franca Iuele

To dive into the fantastic culinary scene these sunny locales have to offer, mark your calendars for these extraordinary foodie events.

LIMA’S MISTURA FOOD FESTIVAL

Peru is home to exceptional culinary delights. Its diverse landscape – the snow-capped Andes, the tropical forest in the Peruvian Amazonia, the desert plains and the endless seashore – produces an abundance of unique ingredients only found in Peru. With 2,500 varieties of potatoes, 300 varieties of peppers from mild to super-hot, corn of various shapes and sizes, and 2,000 species of fish, it’s no surprise visitors are flocking to this South American country to discover a gourmet destination like no other.

One of the best opportunities to discover Peruvian cuisine is to visit Lima during the Mistura Food Festival, scheduled for September 2022. Held just steps away from the idyllic Costa Verde, this festival – touted as South America’s largest – brings together some of Peru’s award-winning chefs to showcase their unique interpretations of traditional dishes such as ceviche, causa and anticuchos. Since its launch in 2008, the 10-day festival has become a pilgrimage journey for foodies worldwide.

With the participation of renowned chefs such as Gastón Acurio and a large team of young and upcoming chefs, the festival offers an opportunity to launch new talent and discover incredible delicacies. The ‘Gran Mercado’ area gives visitors the ability to discover exotic ingredients. With over 300 local vendors, mostly farmers from across Peru, it’s a great place to learn and satiate the taste buds with unique recipes based on traditions that date back to ancient times.

GRAND CAYMAN’S CAYMAN COOKOUT

© CAYMAN COOKOUT

The Cayman Islands offer up nothing short of unforgettable culinary experiences, and every year, the islands transform into the Caribbean’s culinary capital for a weekend of friendship and fun. As the culinary event of the year, the Cayman Cookout returns ​at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman from January 12 to 16, 2023.

For this 14th edition, chef Eric Ripert and a roster of world-renowned culinary talents will gather for this intimate food and beverage happening promising cooking demonstrations, tastings, foodie tours and plenty of epicurean experiences. So whether you’re a chef devotee, a food enthusiast, an island lover or just someone who wants to celebrate, this event caters to everyone.

SOUTH BEACH’S WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

Who could resist a visit to South Beach, Florida to hobnob with celebrity chefs, expert sommeliers and well-known personalities, all while setting your taste buds on high gear? Every year for an extended weekend, South Beach becomes the gourmet capital of North America during the Wine & Food Festival.

From February 23 to 26 next year, visitors will have the opportunity to indulge in masterpieces created by top chefs, attend seminars and masterclasses, browse an Asian night market, savour new dishes at tasting events, get all decked out for the evening parties and more. This is a very popular event, so make sure you save your spot early in the season.