Whet your appetites. Celebrity chefs from around the world will be heading to Dubai Media City Amphitheatre this weekend for the eighth Taste of Dubai. Think Jean-Christophe Novelli, Atul Kochhar, Andy Bates.

While the food stars will be holding live demonstrations, cooking classes and celebrity dinners, festival organisers are promising entertainment for the whole family, including a Bon Jovi tribute. So if Michael Buble and Drake are not your cup of tea, you can still eat and be merry at this year’s Taste of Dubai.

Chris Fountain, managing director of Turret Media, the organisers of the event, tells us what’s cooking:

TOD is in its eighth year. What’s changed and what has stayed the same?

Visitors to this edition of Taste of Dubai can expect to be immersed in a weekend of culinary delight — it’s going to be bigger and better in so many ways this year. We have more new restaurants than ever before, and we are delighted to confirm that celebrity chefs Andy Bates, Tim Anderson, Atul Kochhar, Jean-Christophe Novelli, Jose Pizarro and Dhruv Baker, and Emirati baking sensation Bader Al Awadhi will be leading an all-star line-up with live demonstrations, book signings and cookery classes across the weekend.

Once again, there will be an array of dishes from across the globe, showcasing cuisine from some of the best restaurants in the city. Guests will also be able to get up close and personal with some of the world’s best chefs and industry experts, with some familiar faces returning to the festival to offer their top tips and tricks in our unique and interactive activities.

How many restaurants are participating?

Expanding our restaurant offerings is something we’re extremely excited about, as we always strive to bring a real flavour of Dubai to the festival. This year’s line-up provides a diverse and varied dining experience that is guaranteed to cater to all tastes.

This year we have 20 top of the cities’ leading culinary hotspots who will be showcasing their dishes. Restaurants such as Gaucho, The Scene, The Gramercy, Katsuya, Perry & Blackwellder’s Original Smokehouse, Royal Orchid, Sonamu, Joe’s Cafe, Burj Al Hamam, The Act, China Club, Aseelah, Eataly, PF Chang’s, The Noodle House, The Cheesecake Factory, Shang Palace, Tresind, Patiala and Vida Food Truck, will be serving up a number of their signature dishes across the event.

Have you seen a change in the type of outlets that take part?

Each year we always look to ensure the restaurant line-up is always reflective of the city’s culinary landscape. We are aware that our festival-goers are always on the lookout for new F&B experiences and we feel it is important that the restaurants involved provide this.

As mentioned, this year we have more new restaurants taking part than ever before which means our visitors can now sample over 100 bespoke dishes from Dubai’s top restaurant outlets across the weekend.

How far ahead do you start work on the event?

There is a large amount of planning that goes into Taste of Dubai and work commences months in advance. However, our researching into potential new restaurants, food trends and up-and-coming chefs is ongoing, to ensure we are always bringing the best to the event.

The UAE’s food events scene has picked up with the likes of Dubai Food Festival and other events. How does TOD fit into that?

The UAE’s F&B scene is constantly changing and evolving and it is important to us that the festival embraces this. We want to make sure we are giving our visitors fresh new experiences and taking them on a different culinary journey each year, the way only Taste of Dubai can. Our ever-growing line-up of new restaurants, chefs and entertainment allows us to do this successfully.

What kind of feedback do you get from customers?

We always welcome feedback from our attendees as we look to ensure that we incorporate this into future events. To date we have always received positive feedback, particularly around the F&B offerings and celebrity chef line-up, with our cookery school always being a very popular attraction.

— Taste of Dubai runs from Thursday, March 12, to Saturday, March 14, at Dubai Media City. For tickets (starting Dh70) and more information log on to tasteofdubaifestival.com.

HERE ARE HIGHLIGHTS YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO

For VIPs

The Taste of Dubai British Airways VIP Lounge features its own private area to relax at the event. Apart from unlimited access to the lounge, the VIP tickets, priced at Dh240, also include fast track entry to the event, two complimentary drinks from a private bar, vouchers for three food dishes from any participating restaurant, an event guide and access to all theatre sessions, tastings, demonstrations, cookery classes, Taste restaurants and the alfresco marketplace. Children are allowed in to the VIP Lounge until 9pm.

Chef’s Secrets

The Electrolux Chefs’ Secrets lets in visitors into – you guessed it chefs’ secrets. The cooking sessions not only allow visitors to cook recipes from leading chefs, but give a peek into their techniques, and the latest cooking methods and skills using steam and induction technology. Entry is free and on a first-come basis. For a full schedule of chefs, go to tasteofdubaifestival.com/whats-on

Challenges and contests

Original Wings and Rings will be holding a 1 million sauce challenge where participants can aim to make it onto the ‘wall of flame’, rather than the ‘wall of shame’ by eating the most wings in five minutes. Three prizes include brunch for four people, table for four people and a Dh200 voucher.

Share your #secretingredient

Win a delicious meal for two at chef Atul Kochhar’s Rang Mahal restaurant in the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel. Your secret ingredient is something that cannot be found in any recipe book, even though it could be an herb, specialist technique or handy appliance that you use to achieve great tasting food in your own kitchen. The Secret Ingredient feature will be located next to Electrolux Chefs’ Secrets. Follow @Electrolux on Instagram and share your #secretingredient photograph to be entered into a competition.

Entertainment

On Thursday, Bon Jovi tribute band Bon Jovie performs. Alternative soul musician Adam Baluch, who has supported musical superstars such as Lionel Richie and Gary Barlow, leads the line-up of bands, singers and DJs that will feature on the main stage during the three-day festival. Dubai-based The Boxtones will also perform.

Kids’ zone

Funky Monkeys will keep the children entertained with creative activities such as cookie and cupcake decorating, pizza making and arts and craft zones. Kids can also enjoy a bouncy slide, trampolines, a Princess spa zone that offers manicure, pedicure, nail art, make up and hairstyle and a soft play area for children up to four years.