Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Family Affair

Sofia Vergara and son Manolo to take over NYC Wine and Food Festival with empanadas in hand


The actress and her son will headline the Grand Tasting Daytime Session on October 18th, bringing star power, good vibes and plenty of empanadas


Sofia Vergara and son Manolo to take over NYC Wine and Food Festival with empanadas in hand© IG: TOMA
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 7:27 PM EDT

Sofia Vergara and her son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara are joining forces at this year’s New York City Wine and Food Festival. On October 18th, the mom-and-son duo will host the Grand Tasting Daytime Session from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus in the Seaport.

The festival announced the news on Instagram with a poster of the pair and a caption that read: “We’re rolling out the red carpet and welcoming Sofia Vergara and her son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara to this year’s Festival!”

Mom and son launched their venture, TOMA, together at The Barker Hangar on June 7, 2024 in Santa Monica, California.© Gregg DeGuire
Mom and son launched their venture, TOMA, together at The Barker Hangar on June 7, 2024 in Santa Monica, California.

The spotlight will also shine on Manolo’s food venture, TOMA. As the creative mind behind the buzzed-about empanada brand, he has turned the classic comfort food into a gourmet obsession. Guests at the Grand Tasting will get to sample TOMA’s fan-favorite empanadas while enjoying appearances from the Modern Family star, 53, and her son, 33.

Sofia Vergara and son Manolo to take over NYC Wine and Food Festival with empanadas in hand© NYC Wine and Food Festival

General admission for the Grand Tasting Daytime Session is $223.83, and attendees must be 21 or older. The ticket includes access to hundreds of wines and spirits from Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits portfolio, plus unlimited bites from restaurants across all five boroughs.

Festivalgoers can also watch live Culinary Demonstrations featuring celebrity chefs, including Food Network stars. Along with the tastings, guests will have the chance to meet chefs, pick up signed cookbooks, score giveaways, and explore interactive brand experiences.

Empanadas created by the son of Modern Family star Sofia Vergara, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara© TOMA
Who wouldn’t want these empanadas? Created by the son of Modern Family star Sofia Vergara, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara

For the first time, the festival is also introducing a Grand Tasting After Dark. Hosted by Bobby’s Burgers founder Bobby Flay, 60, and Top Chef season 14 winner Brooke Williamson, 47, the nighttime event promises bold flavors, flowing drinks and a lively new atmosphere.

© ¡HOLA! Reproduction of this article and its photographs in whole or in part is prohibited, even when citing their source.