Few chefs command a room like Alex Guarnaschelli. With an impressive resume spanning Michelin-starred kitchens, best-selling cookbooks, and television dominance, she remains a defining voice in American cuisine. This year, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival is bringing Guarnaschelli center stage once again—only this time, she’s arriving with a competitive edge and a taste of family tradition.

A fixture on the Food Network, she’s won over audiences as a judge on Chopped, Iron Chef America, and Beat Bobby Flay. She’s also the creative force behind Supermarket Stakeout and the digital series Fix Me A Plate, where she takes viewers through New York’s legendary food scene. Beyond television, she’s helmed Butter Restaurant in New York City for over two decades, crafting menus that celebrate bold, seasonal ingredients.

But the festival isn’t just about the thrill of the competition. Guarnaschelli is also hosting an intimate dinner inspired by her latest cookbook, Italian American Forever: Classic Recipes for Everything You Want to Eat! What makes this event even more special? She’s sharing the kitchen with her daughter, Ava Clark, and Miami-based chef Christopher Aguirre. “Ava has a tremendously high standard in her own personal style of cooking,” she shares. “I love to see what she is going to do.”

Guarnaschelli’s latest book is a deeply personal one, celebrating the comforting flavors of her childhood while paying homage to her late parents. As the daughter of renowned cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli, food has always been central to her life. “Writing this book was cathartic,” she admits. “My father did so much to preserve a morsel of Italy in my American childhood, and my mom tirelessly cooked dishes that found their way into these pages.”