UAE enjoys a reputation for being a food paradise and industry stats back that up.
According to the KPMG UAE 2018 Food & Beverage report, ‘the restaurant footprint in Dubai is high, second only to that of Paris’. A report issued by the Business Registration & Licensing (BRL) sector in the Department of Economic Development (DED), Dubai, indicates that 1,109 new restaurants and cafes opened in Dubai in 2018. ‘A further 1,600 F&B outlets will join the growing sector in the UAE’, forecasts a recent KPMG survey.
Integral to this glowing reputation are chefs who scintillate the food scene in the UAE with their exceptional culinary skills. The second edition of The Chef’s Table competition, taking place during the Hotel Show Dubai, from 17th – 19th September 2019 at Dubai World Trade Centre, provides the ideal platform for these chefs to display their skills and creativity. 12 top hotel chefs from across the UAE and their respective teams will star in this timed cooking competition where the ingredients are not revealed until countdown time.
Chef Uwe Micheel, President of the Emirates Culinary Guild who will lead the panel of expert chefs judging the competition says, “Team effort will be integral to win this competition where the contending teams will be judged on hygiene, kitchen skills, creativity in putting the ingredients together, cooking skills, and of course taste”.
To recreate the complete experience that a diner has from the moment he or she steps into a restaurant, the participating teams are required to have one barman, two service members, and three members in the kitchen, with the addition of a steward.
Alongside its rising global image as a food destination, Dubai is home to an increasing population of food bloggers. The maverick Chef shares that whilst he has the highest respect for reputed bloggers in the UAE who know food inside out, he feels that the majority out there are self-proclaimed experts who have to sharpen their knowledge and skills on the topic to become an expert. To develop proficiency as a food expert he recommends spending time with chefs and identifying one’s weaknesses in this area. As the award-winning author of Chef at Home puts it succinctly, “If you have only eaten pizza your whole life then how can you comment with authority on fine dining French cuisine”?
Talking about current food trends in the UAE, the President of the Emirates Culinary Guild shared that Greek cuisine is currently in favour, and that there is an increasing demand for fresh food in line with global trends. The KPMG Food and Beverage report supports this, stating ‘Multiple operators indicated a noticeable increase in vegetarian and vegan options’, and ‘increasing awareness about health has led some to reduce or give up meat, gluten and milk products’. At the same time, Chef Uwe notes that the Middle East’s shawarma and kebabs are gaining accelerated popularity in the international food scene.
Shedding light on challenges faced by chefs in the Middle East Chef Uwe revealed that there is pressure to prioritise aesthetics over taste so that the food is social media-worthy. Another looming issue in the local and global industry is food wastage which can be resolved when each one of us are more responsible while consuming and serving food.
The Chef strongly encourages consumers to be more mindful about the quantity ordered for a table or served on one’s plate so that it does not get wasted. He also stressed that operators too have to consider more efficient ways to control food wastage if not for which a crisis in the near future is inevitable. “If this is left unattended, my grandchildren and the future generation may have to eat pills instead of food”, concluded a concerned Uwe.
Nathan Waugh, Portfolio Director – Hospitality Division, dmg events said, “The first edition of Chef’s Table hosted at the Hotel Show last year was a resounding success and quickly earned its status as a star feature at the event. In response to the high volume of entrants we have expanded the competition by a third this year, and we are delighted to be once again partnering with Emirates Culinary Guild for this exciting competition, which serves as a glowing testament to the culinary excellence that the UAE proudly offers”.
The competition this year has Jackson Vending Dallmayr as the Coffee Sponsor, Madar Farms as the Sustainable Partner, Southern Cross as the Meat Sponsor, Montalbano (Top Chairs) as the Chair Sponsor, Bragard as the Uniform Sponsor, Diversey as the Hygiene Sponsor and 1765 Gemini as the Tableware Sponsor.
As a core part of the inaugural Middle East Design and Hospitality Week 2019, The Hotel Show Dubai will be co-located with The Leisure Show, INDEX, Workspace, Surface Design Middle East, FIM, and INDEX Home, providing a focal point for the region’s design and hospitality industry.
Attend all events for free by registering in advance. For more details, visit: https://www.thehotelshow.com/
About dmg events
dmg events is a leading organiser of face-to-face events and a publisher of trade magazines.
We aim to keep businesses informed and connect them with relevant communities to create vibrant marketplaces and to accelerate their business through face-to-face events.
dmg events organises more than 80 events across 25 countries, attracting over 425,000 attendees and delegates every year. The company’s portfolio of products includes many industry-leading events in the energy, construction, hospitality & design, coatings and transportation sectors. ADIPEC, The Big 5, Gastech, EGYPS, The Hotel Show and INDEX are the company’s flagship events. For more information visit www.dmgevents.com.
Founded in 1989, the company is headquartered in Dubai, UAE, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT, www.dmgt.co.uk), one of the largest media companies in the United Kingdom.
About DMGT
DMGT manages a portfolio of companies that provide businesses and consumers with compelling information, analysis, insight, events, news and entertainment. The Group takes a long-term approach to investment and has market-leading positions in consumer media, insurance risk, property information, education technology, energy information and events & exhibitions. In total, DMGT generates revenues of around £1.4bn.
