The Deering Estate Foundation to host 19th annual Deering Seafood Festival on the Bay and Chef’s Table on the Bay – An Evening in Peru

Calling all seafood lovers! On Sunday, April 13, 2025, at the Deering Estate, the award-winning Deering Seafood Festival will delight its guests with everything from cooking demonstrations by top Miami and Caribbean chefs and delicious food from South Florida restaurants to live music, a Bahamian Junkanoo parade, boat rides, a beer lounge, a dedicated kid’s area and more.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to once again welcome our neighbors and friends to the 19th Annual Deering Seafood Festival, which is undeniably one of our most anticipated events of the year,” says Nina Zanella, Executive Director of The Deering Estate Foundation. “We have so much to be excited about this year’s festival weekend, starting with a special Chef’s Table on the Bay – An Evening in Peru starring Chef Fernando Salazar of Platea Miami, and we can’t wait to share it with the community, Board members and generous sponsors and vendors who never fail to make our events so memorable.”

Chef’s Table on the Bay – An Evening in Peru
To kick-off the weekend, Deering Estate will host Chef’s Table on the Bay – An Evening in Peru on Friday, April 11, 2025 the sixth iteration of its wildly successful Chef’s Table on the Bay – Havana Nights that debuted in October 2021.

This outdoor dining experience will start with a cocktail hour on the lawn presented by Golden Rule Seafood, BreakThru Beverage, and Kona Big Wave and move on to cooking demonstrations and wine pairings and a four-course dinner by star chef Fernando Salazar.

Originally from Lima, Peruvian-born Executive-Chef Fernando Salazar was lured into the culinary world when his passion for this industry and for food was recognized at an early age. Fernando went on to study the culinary arts at the Le Cordon Bleu, where he learned to develop his own unique style and flair. He has continued to work privately out of the spotlight.

Over the years, Fernando has worked alongside influential leaders of the Peruvian and American culinary profession who helped shape his style and depth of knowledge. After moving to Miami, Salazar was appointed Partner/Chef of Dr. Limon Corp by his input on the menu, daily operations and setting up the standard the brand has set on the Miami and international scene. Prior to his current promotions and knowledge to lead and manage restaurants at a corporate level (Darwin’s On 4th, Pisco Y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar, Ceviche) he was developing and studying flavor intensity. Fernando has also worked for celebrities among ACDC and Led Zeppelin. Fernando balances his culinary career with enjoying every spare moment with his kids.

Fernando’s culinary philosophy and passion reflects the growing trend towards a healthier and down-to-earth lifestyle of a young chef while meeting the expectations of the hip and modern Miami culture. Working with neighboring farmers to seek out the finest in regional and local organic produce, is the essence of his cuisine. Fernando’s preference is to allow the natural flavors of food to express themselves.

In addition to cooking, Fernando’s passion is to develop younger chefs to discover their own talents in the same way that he was encouraged. Be it through vegetable picking, hosting talks at public schools, or inviting some of the finest chefs for a chance to share their knowledge, Fernando believes whole-heartedly in staying active, continuously learning and always having fun.

This special evening is sponsored by Shutts & Bowen, the Drew Kern Team, Tonkinson Financial, and Michael Alan Fine Architect.

19th Annual Deering Seafood Festival presented by British Virgin Islands Tourist Board:

Here is what guests can look forward to on Sunday, April 13th, from 10 am to 6 pm, at the Deering Seafood Festival:

Food & Drink Vendors

At the Deering Seafood Festival, guests will be able to buy food and drink from some of South Florida’s best restaurants and suppliers. Participating seafood restaurants include Golden Rule Seafood, Sports Grill, Chef Winston Catering, Antigua Barbuda, Popos Seafood, Conch Mania, Mr. Cobbs BBQ, Rodbenders Raw Bar and Grill, Pubbelly Sushi, Chef Dosworth Samuel, and Pub Grill. Other food vendors guests can get excited about are Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream and Sugar Boutique. Eagle Brands will be onsite providing Stella Artois, Kona Big Wave, Michelob Ultra, and Nutrl Seltzer. Craft beer will be Golden Road Mango Cart. The Frozen Drink Booth is courtesy of Bombarda Rum, Azteca Azul Tequila, and Q Mixers. The Whiskey Bars are courtesy of Cairlinn Bay Irish Whiskey, and the Wine Bar is courtesy Republic National Distributors.

Chef Demo Tent

Sponsored by the Deering Estate Foundation, the Chef Demo Tent is one of the highlights of the Deering Seafood Festival. It is where six fabulous chefs present 45-minute cooking demonstrations of their favorite seafood dishes, many of which are from their restaurant menus. Five demos will be led by chefs from popular Miami and Caribbean restaurants, and the final demo will be completed by the student winner of our annual Deering Seafood Festival Culinary Student Competition, which took place at Florida International University (FIU) College of Culinary Arts on March 21, 2025.

This year, the Chef Demo Tent will feature student Chefs from Miami Springs Senior High, Chef Hector Pagan from bartaco, Chef Kenneth Molyneaux from Tortola, British Virgin Islands, Chef Pedro Mederos from Kojin 2.0, Chef Omar Martinez from Naked Taco, and the winning chefs from the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management culinary student competition, William Assee & Adrian Mangano.

Throughout the day, a team of FIU culinary students will serve as sous chefs to those leading the Chef Demonstration, helping them to prepare their dish and clean up the cooking area.

All cooking demonstrations are free with admission. Audiences are limited to 140 guests per demo, and spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees will enjoy samples of the food prepared by the chef, get a copy of the recipe, and have an opportunity to ask him or her questions.

Entertainment & Activities

While Florida’s freshest fish and seafood are always the main event, nonstop entertainment will keep the family dancing all day long. The festival will kick off with a Bahamian Junkanoo band and Virgin Island stilt walkers parading through Deering Estate, followed by performances by Caribbean Music Farm, Cutler Stew, and Brothers of Others.

Guests who want to get out on the water can take guided Pelican Skipper pontoon boat rides (for an additional fee) from Deering Estate to Chicken Key. Back on land, arts aficionados can wander down Artists Lane and find handmade paintings, photography, crafts, jewelry, and much more by local artisans.

Just for Kids

Presented by Kiddos Magazine, The Deering Seafood Festival will have a special “Spring Fun Kid’s Zone” with arts and crafts, a DJ, interesting exhibits, games, kid-friendly food, raffles, a magic show, a toddler play area, and lots of other fun activities for the kids!

Also at the festival, Deering Discovery Cove will return with fun, educational programming and activities pulled from Deering Estate’s environmental classes and camps! These programs attract more than 30,000 children throughout the year.

Tickets

Festival attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance online. Tickets for adults are priced at $25 in advance and $30 at the gate, and tickets for children ages 4-14 are priced at $7 in advance and $10 at the gate. While Deering Estate Foundation members are entitled to free festival admission, members must go online to obtain a ticket for entry. Ticket prices include park entrance and activities, but exclude food, drink, boat rides and vendor purchases.

Transportation & Parking

In addition to street and area parking, a free “Park and Ride” will be available to all festival guests at Westminster Christian School and Palmetto Bay Village Center. Shuttle buses will go to and from the venue and Deering Estate every 15 minutes. For those wishing to ride their bikes to the festival, a courtesy bike valet will be available from Heritage House.

Sponsors

As a nonprofit organization, Deering Estate could not host its year-long calendar of exciting community events without the help of its generous supporters. The Deering Estate Foundation is honored to announce that the 19th Annual Deering Seafood Festival on the Bay is presented by British Virgin Islands Tourist Board.

Other sponsors include: Air on Demand, Golden Rule Seafood, Sports Grill, Jaguar Land Rover South Dade, Sandy McCarthy, Community Health of South Florida, European Collision, Baptist Miami Cancer Center, Peterson’s Harley Davidson South, McLuskey, McDonald & Hughes, Palmer Trinity School, eTIX, Eric’s Outboard, Grove Bank and Trust, The Keyes Company, The DeValdivielso Team, Florida Power and Light, South Florida Police Benevolent Association, Sunstate Bank, Smile Institute Miami, Prestige Windows & Doors, Kaufman & Rossin, Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm, Kutner Personal Injury, 711, Verano MUR, The Florida Villager, Diario Las Americas, Miami New Times, Go Latinos Magazine, Community Newspapers, Florida Keys Media / Radio, Miami International Airport, Clear Channel Outdoor, Drew Kern – The Kern Team, Shutts and Bowen, LLP, Tonkinson Financial, Michael Alan Fine Architect, and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Tourist Development Council.

The 19th Annual Deering Seafood Festival presented by British Virgin Islands Tourist Board will take place on Sunday, April 13, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Deering Estate. Deering Estate is located at 16701 S.W. 72 Ave., in Palmetto Bay. All proceeds will benefit the Deering Estate Foundation and are used to provide funding, advocacy and support for Deering Estate and its initiatives. For more information about the event, please visit www.deeringseafoodfestival.org.