Dubai: Hundreds of Emirati cooks stepped in on Thursday to introduce their country’s hospitality and culinary arts in one of the competitions at the Dubai World Hospitality Championship (DWHC), which runs till Saturday at Dubai World Trade Centre.
The second edition of the three-day championship, which is being held under the directives of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, and is organised by Zabeel Palace Hospitality in cooperation with the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) and The Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG), aims to continue to preserve the legacy of Emirati hospitality and also support the talents of renowned chefs and culinary professionals from Arab nations.
As many as 2,588 contestants from different countries are participating in this year’s championship which is divided four competitions — an international competition, Gulf products competition, Emirati competition and hospitality sector competition, including a photography competition running during the festival.
The day started off with a strong Emirati presence and a competitive atmosphere with different exhibitors showcasing their products for the Gulf product competition, and with also talented chefs cooking in front of visitors and offering them samples of their products.
Four teams competed in day one of the International Competition, including Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt to prepare the finest and most innovative Arabic and Gulf dishes in front of a jury of skilled and professional chefs and culinary experts. 308 participants showcased their products in the Gulf competition and around 532 talented Emiratis showcased their cooking skills.
Earlier this month Ahmed Bin Hared, president of DWHC said that preserving and promoting Emirati hospitality and culinary art with hopes of bringing it to the local and international scene is an ambition and a goal to be achieved through this championship. He also said that it will serve as window for Emiratis from all over the UAE to showcase their talents as they continue to preserve the legacy of the UAE.
On the first day of the championship, which was attended by Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Bin Harib praised the performance of the participants comprising cooking and hospitality elite from the UAE, the GCC and the world and said that “embracing promising Emirati talent is a key priority.”
“Identifying Emirati talents and preparing Emiratis through this championship for future international contests in the coming years is important. We are also extremely pleased and honoured to have Arab participants from different countries in the Middle East joining us through this competition,” he said.
He added that the manner in which Emirati and Gulf cooking and hospitality were showcased would help strengthen and preserve practices in these areas for future generations to enjoy.
It was also announced that Emirati women will be fully supported after this competition where they will be offered numerous jobs at around 70 hotels in the UAE for the purpose of bringing out and promoting the original taste of the Emirati cuisine.
Ahmad Sharif, vice-president of DWHC, said: “The first day of the competition proved the pioneering leadership of DWHC as a major local and international event specializing in the hospitality industry. The contests challenged Emirati, regional and international participants to provide the best and most innovative cooking and hospitality creations.”
The opening included shows and performances that captured the essence of the culture of the UAE and attracted may visitors from across the UAE.
