SEED Food and Wine Festival

SEED Food and Wine Festival is still in it’s infancy, but it has a lot of potential.
The marketing for this event was excellent. Through partnerships with local media and local bloggers/​instagram people I couldn’t go a day without seeing some kind of advertisement for the festival. A huge percentage of people won their tickets through social media and brought ticket paying friends or family.
I expected to see more tofu like products or interesting, protein-​rich foods but couldn’t find any good options other than the nut burger people. I did learn one interesting fact — regular sugar is not necessarily considered vegan because it is sometimes refined using a bone char filtering process. The more you know…
Beet sugar is vegan, and boy does everyone use a ton of sugar here.
There were so so food samples with a ton of sugar laden food. I love desserts, but after the festival I realized that my teeth have never felt so bad. Good thing I had some super grainy and naturally grey samples from the «Ugly Toothpaste» company to try out at home afterwards. The teeny tiny cupcakes from Bunnie Cakes were pretty delicious and might be worth the cavities. Just kitty corner from them was another bakery that had the worst cupcakes I’ve ever tried. Dry and tasteless.
If you’re vegan curious, the festival wasn’t as insightful as I thought it might be.
I did learn, however, that there are a million granola, nut bar, and nut butter companies.
The food sample offerings were plentiful, but the quality left a lot to be desired. There was a quinoa salad here and there that was alright. Deliver Lean has some of my favorite food. There was a soup in a shot glass as well as a beet salad that was good.
The biggest room for improvement is the environmental impact of this event. So I understand a lot of people are vegan for a variety of reasons. One reason I often hear is that eating vegan is better for the environment. What about all the disposable but RECYCLABLE plastic cups that were thrown in the garbage?!
At first, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were both garbage and recycling receptacles located throughout the venue considering Miami is behind the times on these issues. However, no one knew (including the many festival employees) which items were recyclable or not. Eventually they had employees guarding the garbage cans and some resorted to telling people to throw everything in the trash can and nothing in the recycle.
As far as I know, the tiny plastic sample cups with a recycle symbol on the bottom that hold juice or coconut water that are mainly empty can be recycled. But as one employee told me, «It’s not washed and is not totally clean so it goes in the garbage.» Other times I gestured towards the recycle bin with my empty sample cup and was encouraged by different employees to recycle. Odd «Waste Managment» the recycle people had a booth there as well as a remote controlled recycle themed robot. To recycle or not recycle is the question.
Overall, the atmosphere of the room was positive and comfortable. The huge warehouse in Wynwood was pleasantly spacious and nicely air conditioned. Free reusable Whole Foods bags at the exit were a plus.
Both the women’s and men’s restrooms were a hot mess most of the time. They needed to have extra staff for the bathrooms.
The parking was either $ 5 or $ 10 depending on which entrance you used. Same lot though.
If you’re looking to sample and learn about a lot of granola or juice companies or local vegan restaurants, then this event is good. If you want the most bang for your buck, then I would almost recommend booking a seat at one of the special $ 100 a seat dinners or events they have a few days before this festival. For example, SEED had a separate Vegan Burger challenge event.

I am not a vegetarian or a vegan but I still had a good time here. Some of the chefs who had food for samples were wonderful and it did not matter that there was not meat. Tasty and creative was the key.
Lots of interesting vendors with some very interesting products. I hope to be back next year.

What an incredible event. It was my second year going to this event, and although last year’s event was great, this years event was even better. New and improved location at MANA, more vendors, awesome food and sampling all around. There was also plenty of parking which made it convenient.
I really liked Atlas, Nobu, Nut burgers, Chimp food, U Rawk. All the vendors really were awesome and very friendly and generous with the samplings.
Cant wait for next year!

I won tickets on instagram for SEED Food and Wine, and even though I’m not a vegetarian or vegan, I enjoyed attending the event!
I am interested in going more plant-​based, and events like this really promote brands and products that make that transition a lot easier and more delicious! SEED showed me that it’s not all salads and beans!
I loved the venue at Mana, and I discovered some brands I really want to continue to try like Heidi Ho, suja, and Conscious Coconut.
The events was well organized, not overly crowded, and had plenty of products to sample. I would’ve liked a little more in the VIP section. It was just drinks from Bombay Sapphire. They were good, but I think if I had paid extra for VIP instead of winning the tickets, I would’ve been disappointed.
Overall, I really enjoyed this event, and I’m excited to go again next year!

This is where the beautiful people are!
Forget Southbeach or Lincoln Road… Next year you need to make it to SEED.
We walked into a vibrant event space full of happy healthy people. All flitting about trying the latest in tasty foods derived from all things non-​animal. It was truly a site for Miami.
There were isles and isles of people serving up bites of anything one can imagine. Drinks, snacks, meals, salty, sweet, hot or cold. It was all there for the asking.
There were even seminars and classes on how some of these incredible concoctions are made. Want to learn how to make a vegan hard boiled egg? They got you.
And for the adults, there was liquor to be had! Try some of Spider Salley’s Vegan wine. Or make your own gin drink courtesy of Bombay.
It was truly fantastic to see plant-​based foods being so well represented in Southern Florida. The 305 is a place more commonly known for its meat consumption. And there was not a sinew in sight. I hope to come back yearly and watch as it continues to grow and expand.
Viva la Plant

Kudos to the visionaries and the facilitators of SEED! This plant based food and wine festival definitely surpassed my expectations. I participated in the 5k run and yoga/​meditation class before the tasting festival, which was a perfect way to start the day. The run through wynwood was well organized and really a lot of fun. I felt like I was running through a gallery of urban art and graffiti. The yoga class was awesome! The instructors, some of Miami’s best, were fantastic and there was something refreshing and invigorating being outside. The class really flowed and felt great after the run. The live DJ spinning in the background was a nice touch. I’d never done a guided meditation so I didn’t know what to expect. It was interesting for sure, but definitely cool to try something new. I don’t know if it was the run, yoga, meditation, or combo of the three, but I was feeling amazing (and hungry!) heading into the food festival.
Unfortunately my mood quickly went from zen to frustration trying to get into the festival, but it wouldn’t be a Miami event if it wasn’t a little disorganized. The package we purchased was supposed to let us into the festival a half hour early. Instead all the sweaty runners and yogis waited for a half hour before being let it at the same time as everyone else.
Once we were let in and able to grab some sustenance, everyone’s mood quickly reverted back to zen. First stop– the Bombay Sapphire bar which offered a variety of refreshing cocktails that came with a souvenir cup. Then on to food which was a plenty! I won’t go through all the stands but there were a lot… more than I expected and for the most part they were delicious! The tasting festival offered everything from vegan chicken salad to coconut oil to chocolate to organic beer. My favorites were Bunnie Cakes, Parlour Bakery, Della Bowls, and these amazing Popsicles that I can’t remember the name of. We got to try everything and take lots of samples with us. Everyone was so nice, it was clean, and not too crowded. My friend and I had a blast bouncing from table to table trying things and meeting like-​minded health conscious eaters. I was really proud and excited for Miami that such a population and event existed here. I can’t wait for next year’s event!

First of all, I’m so grateful of been able to enjoy our very own Annual Vegan Rendezvous: Seed Food and Wine Festival. So… big kudos to the organizers, Alison & Michelle.
This review it’s exclusively for the Made in Miami Farm To Table Dinner held at Tongue & Cheek in SoBe. Four renowned chefs presented their vegan/​plant-​based creations: Jamie de Rosa, Jeremy Ford, Todd Erickson and Chef Paco.
Although a bit pricey, this dinner had all the elements of a high-​end vegan experience, starting with the luxury tables settings and decorations, and the large number of professional servers taking care of every single detail, without any hiccup. That was the first big plus of the night. How well organized this event was.
The night started with crafted cocktails and appetizers. Cocktails were too sweet, in my opinion. However, when I tried the Ceviche appetizer, I felt suddenly happy. Prior of being vegan, I was pescatarian, so my only real craving of my pre vegan life has been ceviche; and this appetizer, ladies and gentlemen, gave me back an old flavor almost forgotten, without killing a Corvina. I had 4 of those bad boys, to be precise…
While fantasizing of kidnapping the Ceviche Chef and live happily ever after, the first course arrived. The name of the Chef eludes me right now, but he created a delicate dish, served on a bed of farro, topped with fried shiitake mushrooms and pickled cauliflower, in a coconut vodka sauce. Almost surreal. This was definitely my favorite course, although the rest were outstanding too. Including the refreshing strawberry gelato at the end of the night.
Each course was paired either with crafted beer or organic wines. It was a fantastic experience.
Looking forward to attend more of SEED events in next year’s Festival.

We had an amazing time at the SEED festival. The samples were delicious, yummy vegan cupcakes & desserts, fabulous demonstrations & speakers and an overall wonderful vibe!

What an amazing event this was!!! I liked the whole concept of a plant based food and lifestyle festival!!! And everyone who knows me can say that I never pass up the chance of attending one. Whomever thought of this didn’t miss a beat. It was worth every penny spent on the entry fee. The event space was huge and every inch of it was put to good use. There were massage booths, cooking demonstrations, a live band, numerous cocktail stations, all sorts of vegan delights and samples galore!!! An all around enjoyable experience that I look forward to the next time around.

Exceeded Expectations! I woke up just a little late for the Saturday 8am 5K, but it was no big deal because parking was a breeze! Are we in Miami?! A mere $ 5 (cheaper than street parking) secured me an accessible spot just yards away from the sponsors and the starting line. I was able to pop back to my car to drop off items and prepare for the post-​run yoga. When I arrived, I had not previously retrieved up my race packet. No packet, no problem. They had my name on a list and hooked me up with a schwag bag to hold what the generous sponsors were providing — coconut water, gazpacho bloody mary’s, superfood bites, berries, and smoothies. Bike parking looked like a breeze. Parking is big deal mid-​Wynwood! The race started timely. The course was not exceptional, but a clearly marked route through Wynwood, as expected. It was pretty hot on that asphalt and some tunes along the way would have helped the experience.
The yoga was fantastic! Yoga mats were first come, first serve and the instructors worked well together. Yoga led right into the most amazing cloud-​covered meditation. (I generally react to meditation like a toddler does to nap time– not well). Neither the yoga nor the meditation would have been nearly as successful in isolation… and we got to keep the mats! Surprises are the best! I also adore my «Beet my Thyme» T-​shirt! Honestly, WHAT a steal for the price of the experience.
Entrance to the festival was moderately disorganized at opening because of the influx of runners. No need to be there at 11. Once I was in the door though, it was heaven. I was provided another schwag bag. The festival was diverse and well-​organized. Every vendor was generous with samples and giveaways. I filled my backpack. Bombay had several drinks to try, wineries wanted to talk about YOUR preferences, hot and cold coffee were plenty, desserts and popsicles and massages, restaurants served up small plates, and I took away magainzes, toothpastes, soaps, nut butter packets… I’m really just trying to move into Seed. It was full of positive energy, well-​organized, diverse, and entertaining. I honestly can’t wait for next year.

Congratulations to the organizers of this event. It was so well done. So many of the little annoyances that I’ve experienced at other food and wine events were taken care of here.
We got a nice bag from Whole Foods and a program as soon as we walked in. It’s so handy to have a large bag to carry samples and written materials.
There were plenty of drinks, both with and without alcohol. Bombay Sapphire had two bars and their drinks were delicious. I’ve gone to so many events that either didn’t have drinks or charged for them. Here they had beer, wine, and delicious cocktails. The cocktails were a surprise. If you didn’t want alcohol Perrier was giving out cans of plain and flavored waters. Several of the vendors were also giving out samples of their drinks.
There were lots of samples including food, drinks, lotions, magazines and more. That was nice. It was amazing that everything was vegan.
The bathrooms were in the venue. To me that’s super important. I don’t want to go to a portable toilet.
There was good music, workshops, and cooking classes. In other words there was something for just about everyone.
Tables and/​or chairs were set up throughout the two rooms. At many events there are only a few chairs and people guard them with their lives. When you’re walking around for several hours you really need somewhere to sit and relax. There were also several portable sinks set up so you could wash your hands. I’ve never seen that before.
When we got there at about 11:30am we didn’t have a problem with self parking, and the $ 5.00 parking fee was pretty reasonable. A disabled friend of mine said the person at the entrance told her they didn’t have handicapped parking. Her car has handicapped tags. She was allowed to park closer to the venue, but it was still a problem since she uses a walker and she had to park on the grass. I mention this as something that should be addressed in the future.
Last but not least there was both trash bins and recycle bins. I hate to go to events where there is nowhere to recycle. I end up taking home my empty soda cans, glass, and plastic utensils, so I can recycle them when I get home.
This was an amazing event with a great turn out. I’m so glad I went.

Another fantastic evening event in Wynwood, Miami !!
I’ve Never seen so many vegans in one place lol
Visited the Unilocal table. A must do of course
The attendant for Unilocal was the most gracious I’ve ever met helpful informative and just plain nice, picked up a Unilocal bag.

Seed Food and Wine Festival is Vegan Paradise
The Seed Food and Wine Festival debuted in Miami and unleashed healthy plant based delicacies to thousands of attendees. The festival was held over 5 days and included a grand tasting, gourmet dinners, brunches, movies, celebrities and education. The grand tasting was absolutely sensational with more tasty food and treats than anybody could possibly fit into their bellies and swag bags. While we sincerely liked almost everything we sampled, we shall highlight our favorite vendors from the Seed Food and Wine Festival, who graced us with their plant based beautiful nourishment.
Beyond Meat is a Silicon Valley company that has spent millions of dollars researching how to mimic the exact flavors of meat through entirely plant based products. We are thrilled to report that the chicken and beef tacos they served tasted exactly like meat and were truly incredible!
It is no secret that we are madly in love with Bunnie Cakes. Their moist and enchanting vegan cupcakes are better than dairy ones and we would invite Bobby Flay to throwdown against them any day.
The Roasted Fig table shared these Fig Risotto Dessert Balls were amaze balls. They were stupendous chunks made with fig paste, almond milk and crunchy almond meal, that we could not stop eating.
We are all about sauces, chutney and jams and the jams from Jammy Yummy were the real deal. We tried the red pepper, caramelized onion and jalapeño versions and loved them all.
Choices Café is not only are favorite Vegan restaurant, but also one of our favorite restaurants in Miami. If you have not tried their Mental Lentil, Make your own Pancakes or La Pixsa yet, then get your ass over there pronto. Choices was where we initially discovered how freaking scrumptious vegan food can be. Thank you for showing us the light Alex Cuevas! The brownies they served at the Seed Food and Wine Festival were deliriously good. Who says you need milk or eggs to make a kick ass brownie?
COCO 5 is a healthy coconut water based alternative to Gatorade. We pounded almost every flavor and loved them all.
The Seed Food and Wine Festival was a glorious, delectable and healthy treat. In addition to the amazing fare, there was a plethora of good juju people who care about the planet and the people in it. Being at a location filled with the beautiful energy of those types of people elevates the entire venue and experience. We were proud to be a part of this enlightened and delicious festival and are already looking forward to next years.

I was lucky enough to win a pair of tickets to the festival from Unilocal (thanks Cassie!!), and while my husband originally balked at the idea of a vegan food festival, he gave in to go with me, as it’s free, and that there’s wine.
While the festival was held outdoors, everything was under a huge tent, so you didn’t feel the heat at all. They had a pretty clean mobile restroom which is good too.
I shop at Whole Foods, so at first I thought it would mostly just be stuff I’ve sampled while grocery-​shopping already, but to my pleasant surprise, there are many new things to try. There are veg friendly restaurants and caterers, like Basil Park, Mi Vida Café; there are juice bars; and people selling jams, gluten free cookies, snacks; even a couple of vegan cheesemakers! Also stuff I Iike already, such as the green Shawnee popcorn, Onli soda, Coconut ice cream, etc. In other words, lots of things to taste, and as it’s not very crowded (after all, it’s the first year and it has a small target audience) you get to talk to the people behind the table. They aren’t out there to just pass out dishes but actually know about their stuff.
While I’m not fond of the wine I sampled, there are some good beers, both at the official beer bar (where they have some nice tables and stools and pours you a full glass) and at some sampling booths with craft beer.
There are also cooking demonstrations and presentations.
Overall, very nice venue, a good variety of vendors and products. While I am not a full vegetarian, I do think it’s great this festival exists, that people who can’t eat a lot of things at the average food festivals can come here to explore and have fun. Definitely hope that this year was a success to the organizer and that it’ll become an annual event in Miami here after.