Fans show up in force with the need for speed to watch race cars rip around the track for the Miami Grand Prix (a record 270,491 fans last year), and they are hungry for Miami flavors as part of the experience. Since Miami’s food scene is famous for being eclectic, hot, cool, sassy and sexy, the food and drink offerings reflect that.
Executive Chef Jonathan Cowan has created premium offerings, like baked stone crab dip, fried cheese tequenos, Venezuelan arepas and a special taco-bar lunch coinciding with Cinco de Mayo.
A Miami icon: The Cuban sandwich.
Calibrating the experience for the fans is the driving force for Sal Ferrulo, executive VP of Sodexo Live! “We look forward to leveling up this world-class event through our hospitality offerings for 2024, combining international flare and the vibrance of Miami’s food scene, for visiting fans from all over,” Ferrulo said in a statement. “Now in our third year of this event, we’ve been able to refine the guest experience based on the success of the previous years.”
Since the beginning of the race, local minority-owned businesses have brought food and drinks to the event, and this year’s concepts include Drinks on Me 305, Food Junkies, Soulfly, Italian Vice, La Vela Coffee, Reggae Beets, House of Flava, Conch Crazy, Pretty Healthy Café and Best French Fries. Other local partners include Cheeseburger Baby, Oceana Coffee, Editor Pizza, Dos Croquettes, Bodega, Sushi Maki and more.
Local vendors make up the flavor profile of the Grand Prix.
Guest chefs are also part of the racing festivities, lending their talents and recipes to premium spaces, including Italian osteria Cas Isola’s Chef Jose Mendin, Chef Cesar Zapata of Vietnamese mash-up concept Phuc Yeah, Chef’s Michael Schwartz’s Latin far from Amara at Paraiso, Chef Brad Kilgore’s Florida brasserie MaryGold’s and Karla Hoyos’ authentic Mexican Tacotomia.
New concepts at the track include craft beers and local bites at Cerveceria La Tropical’s terrace-top restaurant, several Vida & Estilo Hospitality Group concepts at the Beach Food Hall and Miami’s Julia & Henry’s food hall will be taking over the West Food Hall.