2013 South Beach Wine & Food Festival Preview

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival is going into its 12th year, and this four-day destination event in Miami is as big as ever. Celebrity chefs, champagne, sand, cocktails, great food, fun, parties (and after-parties) all nearby South Beach's gorgeous Art Deco hotels, crystal clear water, and both real and fake... cough... tans — it's more than just a food festival; in a way, for most of the culinary set, it's one of the most anticipated food festivals of the year. Great food in 80-degree weather while the rest of the country for the most part endures storms, snow, or generally cool temperatures? Why wouldn't you sign up?

In anticipation of Burger Bash, Chicken Coupe, Bubble Q, and all the other great events hosted by celebrity chefs this year in Miami during the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (and make no mistake, it's an amazing feat on behalf of the chefs, cooks, and hosts to pull it off), we've been reaching out in advance to many of the participating food personalities for preview interviews to find out what they're most looking forward to about the festival and what's going on with them food and wine wise in general. Check in for regular updates, and interviews with Ziggy Marley, Curtis Stone, Nadia G., Andrew Zimmern, Naomi Pomeroy, and more.

And of course, we'll be on the scene in South Beach during the festival to cover the event. Check in for current updates and for all The Daily Meal's on-the-scene coverage of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival through the years.

Ziggy Marley This year's festival features a closeout party highlighting Guy Fieri and reggae star Ziggy Marley, who is looking to make his own inroads into the world of food and wine. In this interview, Marley discusses his upcoming set, his line of organic foods, and spill about opening a restaurant. Where? Read on: Ziggy Marley on Roasted Hemp Seeds, Closing Down South Beach with Guy Fieri, and Opening a Restaurant in Los Angeles

 While we couldn't get him to elaborate on a possible restaurant in Los Angeles (or speculate on where the after-after-party will be), in this interview Stone discusses the events he'll be participating in and the Miami restaurants on his checklist. Read on: Curtis Stone on Tasmanian Trout, Finger Limes, and the SoBe Wine & Food Festival

The Cooking Channel host of Bitchin' Kitchen will be participating in José Andrés' Celebrity Chef Golf Tournament. Has she ever golfed before? Does she plan on wearing her signature stilettos on the course? Does she have anything new in the works? In this interview, Nadia G. discusses her upcoming EP, a new comedy-travel series she's working on, and channels Joan Jett in response to any haters. Read on: Nadia G. to Trade Stilettos for Cowboy Boots

 In this interview with chef McInnis and Yardbird's owner John Kunkel previewing the festival, the chef and owner talk about how things have changed (or haven't) in the past meteoric year for their Miami restaurant, what chef McInnis will be cooking at the festival's Chicken Coup, the origins of Yardbird's fried chicken recipe (it's 100 years old), why Brooklyn for Yardbird's expansion, and where else they'd be interested in opening. Read on: Team Yardbird Likes Brooklyn's Energy for Restaurant Expansion

Andrew Zimmern In this interview with the TV host and celebrity chef, Zimmern discusses his participation in the festival, explains how goat is like soccer, where he'd never like to return to (well, not quite), Minnesota's up-and-coming restaurant scene, his own expansion plans, and reveals the identity of the person who shaves his head. Read on: Who Shaves Andrew Zimmern's Head?

There's a new cookbook and season of Trisha's Southern Kitchen, but the singer admits this book has been "a little slower going." Well, the warm weather in Miami at the festival may prove a distraction. In this a preview interview, the singer and cookingTV host talks about her participation, her first aha food moment, the family recipe that got away, and those she's most happy to have saved. Read on: Trisha Yearwood on the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Garth's Cooking, and the Family Recipe That Got Away

Arthur Bovino is The Daily Meal's executive editor. Read more articles by Arthur, reach him by email, or click here to follow Arthur on Twitter.