Top chefs from across the country came together Thursday evening to kick off the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

The band was jamming and the champagne was flowing for the people who paid $300 to eat small, decadent plates packed with flavor.

Thursday's opening event, "The Q," featured chefs cooking barbeque at the Delano in Miami Beach. It's one of the most popular types of dishes at the event.

But behind the glitz and glamour was a good cause as a large portion of the proceeds went to the Florida International University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

It is the reason why celebrity chefs Guy Fieri and Emeril Lagasse told Local 10 it brings them so much pleasure to co-host the event.

Mike Hampton, Dean of FIU's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, said last year the festival raked in more than $2 million for the school.

Hampton explained how the event first began in the early 90s on FIU's Biscayne Bay campus. Back then, it was called the Florida Extravaganza and was a one-day event.

Even though it has grown extravagant Lagasse and Fieri said the core principal is the same, help the next generation of FIU students.

Fieri said the FIU students he had been working with have been rockin' it for more than a week. The students help set-up the event and prep the food.

During the event, the students are the ones working the line, adding just the right amount of sauce or garnishing the small bamboo plates.

Chef Chris Lilly of Alabama has been attending the event since it began 11 years ago and said each year the students are more prepared.

He said it is clear they are ready to learn and told Local 10 he values their help.

It is this kind of hands-on training that makes Hampton so excited for his students.

Sure it's fun, but for FIU, the festival is an educational lab and the students who participate in it are doing something they can put on their resume.

Any food that is left over is then given to Feeding South Florida, who distributes it to those in need.

Last year, Feeding South Florida walked away with more than 30,000 pounds of food at the festival's end.

There are still a few tickets left for events at the four day festival.

Click here for ticket information.