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29 March 2024

Dubai Food Festival opens

Published
By Staff

Fans and connoisseurs of all things food are in for a fantastic feast as the inaugural Dubai Food Festival (DFF)  kicks off  on Friday  February 21 with the opening of Dubai Food Carnival, a two-day family-friendly extravaganza at the Dubai Festival City, and other mouth-watering events and activities.

The Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing  and the organizers of DFF, is gearing up to lay out a wonderful culinary spread for residents and visitors to Dubai during the citywide celebrations featuring food-related events, tastings and activities  until  March 15.

As Dubai becomes the centre of culinary action for 23 days, the festival will showcase the abundance of ethnic cuisines on offer in Dubai, the region’s gastronomy capital,  drawn from more than 200 nationalities in the Emirate, and featuring fine dining to high quality street food.

Making a spectacular entry on the opening day will a fireworks show at 8pm at Dubai Festival City that is bound to enthrall visitors to the Dubai Food Carnival. The Dubai Food Festival also includes other family-oriented  events such as the The Big Grill offering the finest grilled dishes from top grill masters, the Grand Kerala Festival,  showcasing the cusines of the southern Indian state of Kerala, , and The Taste of Peru , a celebration of Peruvian gastronomy.

Dubai Food Festival will also bring under one umbrella business events including  Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food and hospitality trade show,  and the Global Restaurant Investment Forum . Giving a fitting finale to Dubai Food Festival will be the highly popular Taste of Dubai from March 13-15 at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. 

Global Village, Dubai’s leading family entertainment and cultural destination, will also join Dubai Food Festival by promoting a range of cuisines from around the world while The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2014 , Gulf Photo Plus 2014, a popular event dedicated to both professional and amateur photographers, and the Dubai International Boat Show will be joining the celebrations through specific culinary related activities and initiatives.

Further enhancing the overall foodie experience during Dubai Food Festival will be appearances and activities involving over 26 celebrity chefs.  line-up of food personalities include French Chef, Jean Christophe Novelli; Australian power pair, Greg and Lucy Malouf; Queen of the Arabic Kitchen, Egyptian Chef, Manal Al Alem; Lebanon’s Chef of the Year 2013, Maroun Chedid; and Indian TV personality, Sanjeev Kapoor.

Many restaurants will be creating special set menus to celebrate the inaugural edition of Dubai Food Festival while a number of other restaurants will enhance the dining experience through value-for-money meals, special offers and promotions.  Further enhancing the festival excitement will be promotions that will be run by leading hypermarkets and malls, offering fabulous prizes to shoppers.


Full Calendar of Events for Dubai Food Festival


Restaurant promotions
21 February – 15 March


Many restaurants will be creating special set menus to celebrate the inaugural edition of Dubai Food Festival while a number of other restaurants will enhance the dining experience through value-for-money meals, special offers and promotions.

Mall promotions
21 February – 1 March


Leading malls in Dubai will give food enthusiasts the opportunity to experience diverse cuisines at their food court outlets, and the chance to win prizes. At The Dubai Mall, visitors can savour special set menus and offers customized for them by the dining outlets at the mall. Visitors spending Dh300 at The Dubai Mall will also get a chance to win Dh100,000 of fine dining experiences in Emaar Hospitality restaurants.

Deira City Centre, Mirdif City Centre and Mall of the Emirates will run a ‘Hi-Fi Flavours’ campaign in parallel to the festival, which allow shoppers and diners who spend Dh150 at any store to enter the weekly draw and win Dh 10,000 worth of dining vouchers.  Receipts from any food outlet will be exchanged to two coupons giving diners double chances of winning. Draws are held every Tuesday evening, 7pm at each mall. The three malls will also offer families and  children various entertainment activities.

At  Mercato and Town Centre Jumeirah,  many restaurants will be creating special set menus to celebrate the inaugural edition of Dubai Food Festival while a number of other restaurants will enhance the dining experience through special offers . At Mercato, special offers and deals can be had at Italianissimo, Bar A Pates, Alison Nelson’s Chocolate Bar, Haagen Dazs,Chinese Palace, KFC, Hardees, and Jungle Juice while at Town Centre the special offers can be availed at Sumo Sushi, Café Bateel  and Mama Tani.

Food Festival Home Edition
21 February – 15 March
Carrefour, Spinneys, Union Cooperative, Lulu


Leading hypermarket chains in the UAE will run a unique promotion designed to reward shoppers at all their outlets in Dubai. Shoppers spending AED 250 at Spinneys, Carrefour, Union Co-op or Lulu during Dubai Food Festival will stand a chance to win AED 50,000 worth of groceries for the entire year. Each hypermarket will hold two raffle draws every week, each draw offering a prize of AED 50,000 worth of groceries.

Dubai Food Carnival
21-22 February
Dubai Festival City


The inaugural Dubai Food Carnival organised by Dubai World Trade Centre, is a family-oriented event that will bring under one roof an extensive selection of cuisines from around the world, food samplings, celebrity chefs who will be conducting culinary master classes and workshops, as well as a variety of entertainment and competitions for the entire family.

Grand Kerala Festival
20-22 February
Wonderland, near Creek Park

A 3-day extravaganza celebrating the rich flavours and vibrant colours of the southern Indian state of Kerala, it will feature a food fair packed with the variety of dishes from the state’s three regions of Malabar, Kochi and Travancore, as well as  competitions and entertainment.

Taste of Peru
26 February – 1 March
Souk Madinat Jumeirah


Organised by the Trade, Tourism and Investment Office of Peru in Dubai, Taste of Peru is a celebration of Peruvian gastronomy combined with entertainment highlighting the South American nation’s award winning cuisines and rich culture. Food huts offering classic Peruvian dishes such as ceviche and tiradito, causa, quinotto and empanadas, along with Peruvian juices and the renowned national grape cocktail, will be available for guests to enjoy.

The Big Grill
28 February
Emirates Golf Club


The first of its kind to be held in Dubai, The Big Grill will offer an experience like no other to all those who relish anything that is grilled. The family friendly event will offer visitors the finest grilled dishes from top grill masters, as well as competitions and world-class entertainment featuring international entertainers, live music and local DJs.

Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2014
4-8 March
InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City


As the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature will feature a food strand that will see a galaxy of international chefs and experts of the calibre of Greg and Lucy Malouf, Camelia Panjabi, and Silvena Rowe offering attendees their valuable insights and culinary creations.

Gulf Photo Plus 2014
7-14 March
Across Dubai


The annual GPP 2014 festival the only event of its kind in the region that is dedicated to both professional and amateur photographers from around the world will be partnering Dubai Food Festival this year to provide participants the opportunity to increase their skills in food photography, in addition to providing photographers and instructors a platform for interaction through talks, competitions and workshops,  As a result of this tie-up, expert food photographer and blogger Matt Armendariz and  food stylist Fiona Archibold will share invaluable advice with the participants on food blogging and creating stunning food photography.

Taste of Dubai
13-15 March
Dubai Media City Amphitheatre


The 7th annual Taste of Dubai will give a fitting finale to Dubai Food Festival, and is set to attract large numbers of foodies and families once again with numerous restaurants, activities , and entertainment . For three memorable days in a row, visitors can sample signature dishes and get the opportunity to meet internationally renowned chefs, as well as enjoy  live music amid a fun ambience.

Global Village
21 Feb – 1 March


Global Village has been a constant supporter of introducing visitors to the world of food. And during Dubai Food Festival this family destination will promote a range of cuisines through several food outlets from corn on the Cobb, roasted chestnuts, and Thai fruits to the internationally, and regionally renowned restaurants brands. Visitors to Global Village will be treated to wonderful Thai cuisine thanks to a new dining area that exclusively serves authentic Thai food.
 
Gulfood 2014
23-27 February
Dubai World Trade Centre

Gulfood is the world’s largest annual food and hospitality trade offering companies, entrepreneurs and professionals the opportunity to interact and share business experiences and insights and conclude deals in every area of food services sector in the region. Gulfood will feature more than 20,000 brands, 4,500 exhibitors, 120 country pavilions and 80,000 visitors.

Global Restaurant Investment Forum
11-12 March
Conrad Hotel


The inaugural Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF) will  bring together members of the restaurant and hospitality sector including investors, hoteliers, owners, lenders, F&B brands, franchisors, franchisees, suppliers and other key restaurant and hospitality industry professionals across the region to discuss  market trends and share best industry practices. It will be attended by British celebrity chef Silvena Rowe, who will be among the key speakers at the event.

For more information on the Dubai Food Festival, please visit www.dubaifoodfestival.com   and follow the festival on Twitter and Instagram @dxbfoodfest


New Brands

This year several new brands such as Turkey Hill Ice Cream from the US, Skippy Peanut Butter range, also from the US, are being showcased by Al Maya Group [The Pavilion Stand # C6 – 20]. It has been a participant for past 10 years.

Other brands such as Acorsa Olives, Silver Swan Jasmine Rice,  Jungle Oats, Heinz, Oranamin C, Pocari Sweat, Vochelle etc will be displayed, according to Kamal Vachani, Al Maya Group Director.  Al Maya Group imports products from different countries including India, U.K., Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, US, Netherlands, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and many more countries. 
 
Al Maya Group has completed 32 years of operations in the Middle East. It operates 33 supermarkets/hypermarket in the UAE and continue to expand further.  Its recent openings are at Ritaj in Dubai Investment Park (DIP) and in Dhafra Western region, Abu Dhabi.  Al Maya Group will open new Supermarkets in Al Ain and Reem Island, Abu Dhabi in March/April, 2014.