Out and about
Wecome to the festival The first International Fine Food Festival will take place at The Meydan Grandstand between October 30th and November 2nd 2012. Of interest to chefs will not just be gourmet products, both local and international, but also two new cooking contests for the region: The Golden Toque Middle East award and, for junior chefs, the Amuse Bouche contest. Founder Claire Tinston explains the thinking behind the new concept.
W
ith the UAE’s fine dining scene growing month by month and food lovers increasingly well served by specialist suppliers and shops, it seems obvious in retrospect to put together a gourmet event linking consumers to produce to importers to chefs. “Customers here face different decisions when shopping for food,” explains Claire Tinston, founder of the Festival and MD of Kraken Events. “The reliance on imported goods will always be there, however the interest and demand in fresh and local is growing. The Festival will reflect the best quality in both types from some passionate suppliers. This will be a celebration of food that consumers, exhibitors, farmers, distributors, buyers and, of course chefs can enjoy, share, taste and learn from.” She is particularly keen that the Posh Picnic exhibition area will focus on high quality produce, especially some that may not be widely known. “The Festival reflects the increase in demand for high quality produce in the region and the shift of dietary habits here from processed goods towards a more protein, dairy and high value ingredient market. This is an opportunity for the specialist producers to introduce their produce to the region and gives local farmers and suppliers the chance to interact directly with their customers.” So, farmers, producers, manufacturers and suppliers will be able to display their produce, which will also be used in the cooking competitions and in the Chef’s Table dining area. For example, one key local farmer exhibiting is Organiliciouz, a local organic farming initiative run by an Emirati family. Founded and headed by Obaid Bin Ghubash, it was established in response to the growing need for healthy, organic and sustainable produce in the UAE. Organiliciouz has been operating efficiently since 2010 and is one of the first farms to be awarded with the Emirates Organic Product Mark stamp. According to Bin Ghubash, “We feel very passionately about spreading awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and the benefits of organic food, especially for children’s health. This is the perfect platform for us to educate people on the benefits of eating organic and we will be unveiling the launch of Organiliciouz’ very own
10 10-11 Out and about ifff.indd 10
9/25/12 9:51 AM