After bagging back-to-back Sustainability Awards from the MIDAS Network, the pair were rewarded with a trip to Miami for the group's Food Insights Tour
Our final full day began with a food tour in Little Havana, writes Aaron.
It was so interesting. Our tour guide Gio had such a wonderful personality - he is a social media influencer and seemed to know everyone and everything in Miami...
First we visited a little hole in the wall restaurant where we had some Cuban coffee. It was nice, but a little too strong and sweet for my tastes… like having three espressos in one. To be honest, it woke me and Charlene up after a very late night in the karaoke bar the night previous!
Our next stop was a sandwich shop called Sanguich, this was the place to go for your Cuban sandwich! It’s famous in Miami & it also does amazing milkshakes too. It’s a small venue with only 7 tiny tables but was always full and people queuing at the window for takeout (which is always a good sign...).
They make just about everything in house - including the bread, the chutneys & even the mustard... and it felt so authentic. Gio knew the owner and sat us at the best table, through a secret door at the back of the restaurant. It led to a private courtyard with a large table, we had some Cuban sandwiches and sodas, and refreshing cold beers. Just what we needed!
On our last night we were all together as one big group again, which was such a lovely way to spend our final evening. The tour was organised so that we were all put into smaller groups of around 15 people, which changed frequently giving us the opportunity to mix with different people, at different restaurants, so being all together one last time was lovely.
On the last night we went to a super bar called Barsecco. It had a cool downtown vibe. Outside, it had a big canopied terrace with the feel of a reclaimed barn.
I loved the interior, it was really done well with a big towering tree and low lighting.
It was a fantastic night; getting everyone back together and by now everyone knew each other and so the atmosphere was excellent with a real buzz. There was definitely more alcohol than food on this our final evening…
The morning after, before our flight home, we had breakfast in Brickell at the Rosetta Bakery.
We tried this one morning whilst we were having a look around for breakfast concepts; we walked past it and it look delicious, especially all the pastries and breads in the window.
Inside was really cosy and had a real country chic feel, the food displays were bursting with mouth-watering sweet and savoury pastries and the smell was incredible. It was nice to see the production being made through a glass wall at the back of the store.
Working in the live events industry, before we headed to the airport we checked out what Miami had to offer in terms of venues, writes Charlene. The first stop was the FTX Arena, which hosts the Miami Heat basketball team and lots of big-name acts just like both of our arenas in Birmingham.
It’s a beautiful building right on the waterside and looks out to impressive skyline of amazing skyscrapers. We also then passed by the Miami Convention Centre, before a chill by the pool and our flight home.
What a couple of days we had and such a wonderful experience. We were so lucky to try all the amazing food and dining concepts, as well as meeting so many likeminded people.
The biggest thank you to the MIDAS organisers, hosts and sponsors, we will cherish these memories forever!
