Discover America at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi

From a Hollywood-inspired theme park brunch to a traditional American barbecue to a Maine lobster evening, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the US embassy and Etihad Airways, will serve these new offerings from Friday to Sunday, October 16, to celebrate American cuisine as part of Discover America 2016. US Ambassador to the UAE, Barbara A. Leaf, announced this at the launch party at Ray’s Grill in the Towers on Wednesday evening. The food each evening will be themed to coincide with one of the American destinations Etihad flies to.

Leaf welcomed guests that included royalty, business moguls and dignitaries at the invitation-only dinner, and told tabloid! that the programme’s goal is to broaden and deepen the US-UAE bilateral relationship and that food was a great way of bringing different cultures together.

“You break bread you connect. There is nothing more powerful than sitting over a meal with somebody. It might be a stranger or someone you don’t know very well, but when you are introducing them to your cuisine you create a new bond. It’s a two-way connection,” she said.

With more than 60,000 Americans residing in the UAE, she said, it is also a wonderful way of bringing a little bit of the home atmosphere to them.

“Honestly, when I sit here and eat Maine lobster or eat a lovely piece of American beef, it brings back powerful memories of home. This is part of what we celebrate and it is a way of connecting our American community with their surroundings and with back home,” said Leaf.

Ray’s Grill chef de cuisine Jordan Annabi treated guests to a mouthwatering selection of dishes, which included pressed chicken terrine, butter poached Maine lobster, chargrilled USDA prime fillet and lime pie.

Discover America is an annual event, now on its second year, which will run throughout October, focusing on US-UAE collaborations in innovation, sustainability, space, education and food.

Don’t miss it

Friday, October 7: ComicCon brunch

Saturday, October 8: American barbecue time

Tuesday, October 11: Chicago-themed dinner with deep dish pizzas

Thursday, October 13: Maine lobster evening with live cooking demos and cheesy games and country fair music

Sunday, October 16: American barbecue with an American military band performance

Call 02-8115666 or write to JADrestaurants@jumeirah.com for more information and reservations.