Miami, FL – May 31, 2020 – In the wake of the COVID19 pandemic, Lee Brian Schrager, the man behind the South Beach Wine & Food Festival®, teamed up with local food and beverage icons to start a weekly bake sale from his Coral Gables home, with all proceeds benefiting the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund. As the hospitality industry continues to suffer, Lee developed these bake sales as a unique way to unite the community while supporting relief to local businesses.

The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®) launched the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund to provide immediate financial support to independently owned and operated restaurants and bars impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties To date, the Fund has raised more than $1.6 million and has already granted over $1.5 million to more than 500 local restaurants in South Florida.

For more information about the Fund, to donate, or to apply for a relief grant, please visit www.sobewff.org/industry-relief.

WRE caught up with Lee at the “House on Hardee” to get a closer look at the bake sale phenomenon. Read the full Q&A below.

WRE: You’ve been hosting these bake sales for a couple of weeks now in order to raise money for the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund. How did the idea for a bake sale originally come about? 

LBS: It really came from my desire to find a way to raise additional money and awareness for the Fund. Like most people, I was desperate to leave my house, so I thought – why not host a bake sale to give everyone something to look forward to over the weekend? From the start, the response was amazing. People continue to line up in their cars an hour in advance, some having driven from West Palm, Pembroke Pines – all over South Florida – to buy some of the best treats and baked goods our city has to offer. The irony of course is that for the past six Sundays, I haven’t left my house.

WRE: Tell us more about the fund. What motivated you to start it? 

LBS: Like a lot of people, I knew that I had a certain responsibility to use my voice and resources to support the hospitality industry during this time of hardship and uncertainty. In March, I was on a call with around 20 local chefs and they all said the same thing to me – we need to help our employees. A week later, we launched the SOBEWFF® & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund, which provides immediate financial support to independently owned and operated restaurants and bars impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. The Fund, which is administered by the FIU Foundation, grants money to approved restaurant or bar owners, who then distribute the funds amongst their employees who have been furloughed, laid off, or whose incomes have been significantly reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tagline of our Fund is “Serving Those Who Have Served Us” – and that’s really what it’s been about. I hope we’ve played a small part in supporting the local hospitality industry workforce as they’ve done for our community.

I knew that I had a certain responsibility to use my voice and resources to support the hospitality industry during this time of hardship and uncertainty.

Lee Brian Schrager

WRE: The bake sale is hosted at your home every Sunday. How are social distancing protocols enforced? 

LBS: Well, it starts with the fact that you never have to leave your car. You’re handed a menu (which is yours to keep), then someone takes your order and collects your money. Your order form is then placed on the windshield of your car so that the person working the end of the bake sale line knows exactly which items to hand you. It’s that simple and there’s actually very limited physical interaction. Plus, our team is fully equipped with masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer. We also have a (socially distanced) walk-up line, which is mainly for customers who live in the neighborhood.

WRE: The hospitality industry has been greatly affected by COVID-9. How do you think the ‘new normal’ of social distancing guidelines is going to affect the hospitality industry? 

LBS: I think it’s still too early to tell. The new guidelines will undoubtedly have a huge impact on our industry – how could it not when the essence of hospitality involves human interaction and shared experiences? But I’m hopeful that restaurants, bars, hotels and other hospitality-oriented businesses will be able to adapt to whatever the ‘new normal’ looks like, while keeping the health and safety of their employees and customers top of mind.

The essence of hospitality involves human interaction and shared experiences.

 Lee Brian Schrager

WRE: This Sunday marks the grand finale of the bake sales, but a whole new year of excitement, as it is also your birthday! How does it feel to be celebrating a birthday during this time? 

LBS: It feels strange of course since it’s not how I would typically spend my birthday. But honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am, however, looking forward to celebrating with my mom, whenever that may be. It’s a birthday I won’t soon forget, I can tell you that much!

WRE: The bake-sale items that are offered are known to sell-out fast. What are some of your favorite items from the menu? 

LBS: They’re all fantastic – I mean that sincerely. Every single chef, restaurant, and vendor who’s participated over the past six weeks – starting with Night Owl Cookies, who has done every bake sale since we started in April – has been nothing but enthusiastic and generous. My lawn will look and feel a little bare next Sunday, but something tells me that my waistline will thank me for it.