Florida International University students prepping for annual SOBE Wine and Food Festival
MIAMI - Whether they are preparing delicious meals such as seared jumbo lump crab cakes, or packing up hundreds of chef aprons, and even using an interactive bartender named Cecilia, students at Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management are busy getting ready for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival.
It's four days of more than 100 events working side by side with some of the best chefs in the world.
"I feel that this festival brings a lot of experiential opportunities for the students, and it opens up so many doors, jobs opportunities, networking, finding new opportunities for them to interact and even discovering their passion," said Michael Cheng, Dean of FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
Devon Dwyer is a senior at FIU studying hospitality and has worked at the festival every year. She wants to become an event planner.
Dwyer and fellow student Genesis Torrez are busy organizing the shifts of more than 1300 students at the festival.
She says the experience has been life changing.
"It's such a great résumé builder and even getting new jobs now," said Dwyer. "They see that experience and they see how dedicated I am because I'm in school working these high intensity events. It's truly just something I can never replace and I'm honestly so grateful that I learned about it."
Daniel Marcelin, a junior in the culinary program, said his teacher has prepared them to leave no stone unturned.
"It's literally like thinking about what our guests are wanting. What are we going to serve them and how we want to wow them," he said.
One real "wow" is "Cecilia.a.i," the world's first interactive bartender robot. The students work hands on with her to create an impressive bar menu and deliver quality service at customized events. She is not just any bartender or any robot, she makes jokes too.
"Cecilia are you single?", asked CBS4's Lisa Petrillo.
"Yes, I'm single. Single malt," Cecilia replied.
But most importantly, the interactive bartender saves time.
"Believe it or not, Cecilia makes two drinks a minute," said Cristina Moguel, FIU's Professor of Food and Beverage.
"That's 120 cocktails an hour. Last year she made 1,200 cocktails on her own, while we were busy shaking things up at a Bloody Mary station with our students," she added.