Overheard at SoBe: Michael Symon on Detroit Expansion, Michael White on The Butterfly's Opening

Photo by Angela Pham/BFAnyc.com 

By Kelly Dobkin

We just got back from a long weekend in Miami for the 2013 SoBe Wine and Food Fest, which for us was essentially a four-day binge of eating, drinking, interviewing, blogging and whatever else one does while covering such an event (read: scoping out goat-pigs). We're just about to shut up about it for another 360 days but before we do, let's look back at some of the most interesting tidbits we picked up while we were down there.

1. Bobby Flay will NOT be on Dancing With the Stars but he will be opening a Bobby's Burger Palace in Miami in the near future. Also - stalker alert - we sat next to him at Yardbird last night. Omg!

2. Michael White gave us an update on the opening of his upcoming Tribeca eatery, The Butterfly: "right now we're about 4-5 weeks out." He also noted that it's a landmark building so there's always unpredictability when it comes to getting permits etc., so the timeframe isn't definite. Also - the burger (that uses the LaFrieda "White Label Burger "blend that's served at Ai Fiori) with bacon marmalade that he served at Burger Bash will "definitely" be on the menu there. Holla. It was our personal favorite of the night.

3. Iron Chef Michael Symon mentioned to Burger Business a few days ago that he was "aggressively" scouting new locations for his chain B Spot in Detroit, among other midwest cities. When we bent his ear at Burger Bash and told him we were from D-Town, he told us that they were planning to open a B Spot there for sure.

4. Giada De Laurentiis is possibly opening a restaurant somewhere in California "if the deal is right," but of course, that's not 100%. She's also definitely doing a talk show with Bobby Flay sometime in 2014.