The UAE’s organic and locally-sourced food scene has grown exponentially over the last few years, but it’s still a niche when it comes to how the majority of the country eats. That’s why a food festival next week hopes to get more people talking -- and eating -- about where their food comes from.
The International Fine Food Festival, held at Meydan from October 30 until November 2, is the perfect Eid event for those who are passionate about eating good food <ital> and <ital> care where it came from, especially if it’s local, says the event organiser Claire Tinson of Kraken Events.
“The whole idea of the festival is to look at gourmet fine food but our version of it -- what is the provenance of the food? It’s about showing people what’s available locally -- there’s a lot, everything from organic farms to Italian cheesemakers. The idea of the festival is that we want people to come along and chat to he chefs, chat to the farmers, chat to the students, and really create dialogue.”
The festival will showcase locally grown -- and in some cases organic -- produce, alongside international foodstuffs that are produced sustainably and ethically, said Tinson. Festivalgoers can stroll around the Posh Picnic, where produce is available for tastings and to buy; from the international showcase, expect cheeses curated by the team behind Lafayette Gourmet’s cheese room; Yemeni mountain honey; and Greek olives.
“I think there’s a misconception that you can’t find these things here, so we wanted to bring them in one place and show people you don’t need to settle, and get people talking.”
Fans of Food Network show Chopped will want to check out the Chef’s Table, a pop-up restaurant in which teams of professional chefs from Rhodes Mezzanine and The Farm will have to cook a three-course meal from a mystery ingredient and produce from the Posh Picnic in one hour. A professional chef’s competition, the Golden Toque, will see the city’s best battle it out over four days, again with a focus on using local products. “Usually these chef competitions are sponsored by the big guys,” said Tinson. “What we wanted to do was work with guys that have the same ethos as we do. I don’t know that there’s any proof that [organic, local food] is better but I think it just makes sense -- I don’t want to eat food that’s been messed around with, and don’t think I am alone.”
The Golden Toque will be judged by Claire Clarke, a pastry chef who has worked for Thomas Keller at The French Laundry in Napa Valley, as well as Paul Bates, head chef at the Intercontinental Hyde Park, who famously ran a restaurant that only sourced within the Greater London area, and local cookbook authors Ariana Bundy and Suzzane Hussaini.
There are also amateur cooking competitions and Friday will have two cooking classes for children. The Amuse Bouche gallery will see two contests daily between student chefs aged 18-21, who will prepare 10 mini dishes, to be voted on by the public.
Bundy and Husseini will join local cookbook author Nayla Al Khaja in discussing their work with fans at the Cookbook Club on November 2 at 3pm.
Tinson is as passionate about locally-grown food as she is about local cuisine, and hopes the festival will put pressure on local hotels to use more Emirati recipes. She brandishes the French-style biscuit in her hand as we chat over a pot of tea in a Dubai hotel. “This is the big cause that I am championing: why when you go to a big hotel in Dubai, why are we served French biscuits and not Emirati biscuits? There are some amazing things here and we need to put some pressure. It doesn’t always have to be organic, if it’s local that’s already great.” If you’re looking to taste the Emirati biscuits, Klayya bakery, run by a brother and sister who make Emirati biscuits and Emirati breakfasts based in Al Barsha Mall, will have a stand at the festival.
Don’t miss it
Entry to the International Fine Food Festival, taking place at Meydan from October 30-November 2, is free. Register online for passes at ifffestival.com/
