Miami Book Fair's Kitchen Stadium Highlights Culinary Stars and Cooking Demos

The Miami Book Fair returns to downtown Miami November 13 through 20 with a host of celebrated authors that appeal to most every literary taste. Headlining luminaries range from Daily Show host Trevor Noah to political everyman Bernie Sanders. Chefs for years have been a thriving part of the literary community, and the Miami Book Fair has always played up the important connection between food and books.

At this year's Miami Book Fair, the cooking program has been expanded. In addition to the extensive list of cookbook authors who will be in attendance, the site for the cooking program is now a complete outdoor venue, Kitchen Stadium, that can seat more than 150 people.

Kitchen Stadium, located on the southeast corner of NE Third Street and Second Avenue, is a dedicated area where fairgoers can watch culinary demonstrations, enjoy a nosh, or experience spirited discussions about food and culture. "Cookbook authors and food writers have always been popular at the fair. The sessions with authors and cooking demos are always full," says Paola Fernandez Rana, program coordinator for Kitchen Stadium. "Everyone loves to eat. People love to watch food being prepared."

Throughout the weekend, cookbook authors will discuss their works and demonstrate recipes. A robust schedule of events ranges from chefs sharing their favorite kitchen tips to authors exploring the intersection where culture meets food.  Here's a lineup of the best food-related events at this year's fair.

Saturday, November 19

Veronica Cervera dishes on the mainstays of Cuban cuisine. Her book, La Cocina Cubana De Vero, features 100 recipes that represent those mainstays. Cervera will share the stage with Yosmar Monique Martinez, author of Tastes of the Camino: 30 Authentic Recipes Along the French Way, which features the foods found along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, an ancient pilgrimage route between France and northern Spain.
11 a.m. at Kitchen Stadium

Get the lowdown on all things chicken when Cynthia Graubart takes the stage to share recipes from her Chicken: a Savor the South Cookbook.
Noon at Kitchen Stadium

In her latest nonfiction book — Food and the City: New York’s Professional Chefs, Restaurateurs, Line Cooks, Street Vendors, and Purveyors Talk About What They Do and Why They Do It — Ina Yalof offers a behind-the-scenes tour of New York City’s dynamic food culture.
1 p.m. at Kitchen Stadium

The originator of Brownie Brittle, Sheila G. Mains, will show how she uses brownie batter to reinvent dessert with recipes from her book Sheila G’s Butter & Chocolate: 101 Creative Sweets and Treats Using Brownie Batter.
2:30 p.m. at Kitchen Stadium

Top Chef host and author of The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs: An Essential Guide to the Flavors of the World, Padma Lakshmi, will have a conversation with Questlove’s Ben Greenman, co-author of Something to Food About: Exploring Creativity With Innovative Chefs.
3:30 p.m. at Kitchen Stadium

James Beard Award winner Anna Thomas shares insights through a cooking demo taken from the pages of her book Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore Dinner for Everyone at the Table.
4:30 p.m. at Kitchen Stadium
Sunday, November 20

Enjoy hearing the life story of Chef Rossi as she shares tales of cooking through some of the most unlikely kitchens in New York City, the Raging Skillet: The True Life Story of Chef Rossi: A Memoir With Recipes.
1 p.m. at Kitchen Stadium

Telemundo's James Tahhan, author of The Homemade Chef: Ordinary Ingredients for Extraordinary Food , will demonstrate some recipes from his book.
2 p.m. at Kitchen Stadium

With her book Butter: A Rich History, award-winning food writer and chef Elaine Khosrova will serve up a gripping historical narrative that explores the rich chronicles of the world's most famous fat. Khosrova will be joined by Rowan Jacobsen, author of The Essential Oyster, featuring portraits, tasting notes, backstories, recipes from America's top oyster chefs, and a guide to the best oyster bars.
3 p.m. at Kitchen Stadium

Mi Ae Lipe’s Bounty From the Box: The CSA Farm Cookbook is a guide to enjoying more than 90 different crops grown by community-supported agriculture (CSA) farms across North America.
4 p.m. at Kitchen Stadium

Miami Book Fair
November 13  through 20 at and around Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus in downtown Miami. Admission is free Friday and costs $8 Saturday and Sunday. Ages 13 to 18 and over 62 pay $5; ages 12 and younger get in free. Some seminars require an additional ticket. Visit miamibookfair.com.