Emirati dishes go global

Emirati homemade dishes are all set to earn global recognition at the Dubai World Hospitality Championship (DWHC). Organised by the Za’abeel Palace Hospitality under the directive of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the DWHC will take place from November 16-18 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Over 700 professional and amateur chefs are set to demonstrate their artistic and aesthetic competencies at the championship, which will also feature a heritage and hospitality exhibition to welcome visitors.

The inaugural DWHC is officially on the roll with the first-phase evaluation of the homemade dishes category in the Emirati competition that took place on October 25 and 26.

The competition is one of the three key categories of DWHC and comprises four sub-categories: professional, amateur, homemade dishes and homemade and innovative products. While the other three categories will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from November 16-18, the homemade dishes competition will be conducted in stages at different emirates on scheduled days in the run-up to the three-day championship.

The jury panel will comprise Emirati chefs Aisha AlMansoury, Fatima Al Moghani, Aishah Al Taib and Moza Biluhaa, along with the championship committee members. Participants in the homemade dishes category will prepare their entries at home according to the menu and schedule provided by the organisers. The competitors will then present their preparations at their respective women’s association for the visiting jury panel to evaluate.

The final evaluation will be conducted on November 3 in Hatta, Sharjah and Dubai.

Following the first phase of judging in Abu Dhabi on Friday (October 25), the second round took place on Saturday (October 26) in Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman and Fujairah. The final phase of evaluation will be conducted on November 3 in Hatta, Sharjah and Dubai.

Ahmed bin Hareb Al Falahi, president of DWHC, said: “The Emirati competition has been strategically planned to incorporate all elements of the UAE’s traditional cuisine. Emirati homes are a wealth of culinary heritage that needs to revived and preserved for posterity.

This is what we hope to do with the homemade dishes category. We have tried to ensure that participants are made absolutely comfortable, and thanks to the involvement of women’s associations, we have been able to engage Emiratis across the UAE in this culinary extravaganza.”

The results will be announced at the venue on November 18, the concluding day of the championship.

Mona Al Suwaidi, Emirati competition coordinator from the Dubai Women’s Association, said: “Emirati cuisine is unique and deserves to be acknowledged at a global level and DWHC is the first step in that direction. This is the first time that an event of such magnitude is taking place in the UAE and we are excited to be part of it. The response we have received so far has been overwhelming, and we look forward to the next few weeks.”

news@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE