Residents flock to have fun at Sharjah's Al Qasba Food Festival

The 8th annual Al Qasba Food Festival has kicked off in Al Qasba, the premier tourist, leisure and family destination in the emirate of Sharjah, on Thursday March 27, and will run until April 12, with the participation of renowned Arab and international celebrity chefs.

A number of artists and popular media professionals participated in the competitions of the festival, including singer Oraib, artist Faisal Jassim,

artist Mohammed Juma Saeed, presenter Mohammed Ali Al Mannaei, Chef Asma Al Bahar and head of UAE team fans Khalid Houria.

They prepared traditional meals, desserts and beverages, which were very well received by visitors in a fun-filled and exciting atmosphere.

Commenting on the occasion, Sultan Shattaf, Al Qasba Manager, said: “Al Qasba Food Festival is drawing a larger crowd year on year and has become one of the region’s most popular highlights in the calendar of family activities.

It attracts all members of family alike, who show eagerness to attend the shows, participate in the competitions and prove their ability to prepare delicious meals. We invite all members of the family to visit the festival and enjoy its activities”.

“The festival is expected to attract huge turnout of visitors to enjoy its exciting activities, which include celebrity Arab and international chefs, cooking competitions for families and employees from government bodies and private companies, cookery workshops for young chefs, live shows by chefs who will display their skills in preparing a range of delicious dishes and light meals, as well as competitions to create fantastical vegetable and fruit carvings and cake decorations, among many other activities”, he added.

The renowned international chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who was on the judging panel for Master Chef India Season 3 and has published over 150 book titles, cooked a number of Indian dishes at the Americana celebrity chef academy stage on the opening day of Al Qasba Food Festival.

A special treat during the festival will be the ‘Passion for Food’ presentation by Chef Manal Al Alem, whose mission statement is to enhance awareness towards food education, nutritional dieting, multicultural recipe development, food styling and dining etiquette through continuous interaction with the public audience.

Other participants from the Arab world are Celebrity Chef Amro Fahed Al Yassin, a senior member of the Emirates Culinary Guild, and executive chef

Tarek Ibrahim, who has graced many reputable kitchens and lecture halls over the past three decades.

TV presenter and celebrity chef, Marta Yanci, who was said to be “a master of under-dressing and matching dominating flavors with softer options and flavoring them subtly” by Time Out Dubai in 2013, is on the list too. Other creative chefs are multiple award-winning Chef Dermot O’Flynn who has been in the industry for over two decades and adept food stylist for Michelin starred restaurants and tapas extraordinaire, Chef Marco J. Morana.

The Al Qasba Food Festival coincides this year with the UAE Green Festival, which aims to promote green initiatives and encourage people to adopt a better way of life through activities surrounding the benefits of fresh and organic products and a green food menu as well as eco-friendly cooking methods.

The 2014 Food festival will also feature a number of lectures on the different foods, and herbs that are mentioned in the Holy Qur'an in the treatment of illnesses. These lectures will focus on how to treat common diseases, such as diabetes, blood pressure, and obesity, by using vegetables, fruits, grains, and spices readily available in markets and at homes.

The Festival’s many activities will be followed by entertaining shows such as the musical containers’ show, plastic rhythms’ show, musical utensils demo, and the Ronald MacDonald show.

Al Qasba prides itself on giving its visitors the opportunity to enjoy culture, entertainment and leisure attractions representing the very best from the Arab world and beyond, as well as being an outstanding family destination with a range of activities that caters to people of all ages.

Spread over 10,000 hectares, Al Qasba boasts a range of state-of-the-art facilities and tourist attractions including, among others, various restaurants and cafes, Masrah Al Qasba-Theatre “winner of Leaf Award 2012”, Multaqa Al Qasba-Conference and Meeting Halls, Al Qasba Business Centre, Kids Fun Zone, Al Qasba Musical Fountain, Eye of the Emirates Wheel, and the Maraya Art Centre.

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