Lulu Hypermarket brings global flavors to UAE with World Food Festival

Abu Dhabi: The smell of biryani, the warmth of fresh pastries and a stage full of chefs in whites set the tone on Tuesday evening, when Lulu Hypermarket opened the second season of its World Food festival at Mall WTC Abu Dhabi with the UAE’s many cuisines, and its many nationalities, on one plate.

The festival started with a ribbon cutting, a store tour past stations representing cuisines from around the world, and a ceremonial biryani dum opening. Lulu executives, regional directors and partners joined chief guest Sumaya Obaid, the Emirati celebrity chef and cultural ambassador, on stage.

“It is an amazing moment, seeing all these different dishes from all around the world. Always Lulu brings the world together.” Obaid said.

Guests were then invited to taste dishes from across the globe.

A reflection of the UAE

The centrepiece of the evening was the unveiling of six new products from Lulu’s in-house kitchen: Yemeni honeycomb bread, French cream caramel, a lantern cake by Bake Art, a high-protein hummus bowl, butter chicken pasta and lasagna and a Korean BBQ chicken rice ball.

A cake-cutting ceremony followed, with the chefs behind the dishes called on stage for a group photo and applause from the audience.

Welcoming guests, Lulu Retail's regional manager for Abu Dhabi, Amr Mohmed Nizar, said the season “celebrates the flavors and cultures that make the UAE so special.” He pointed to the festival’s international cuisines, offers, cooking demonstrations and the Lulu Master Chef competition, saying there was “something for everyone to enjoy.”

Obaid struck a similar note. “The UAE is not only for locals. We are sharing this beautiful country, and we are enjoying every minute here,” she said. “Lulu is a special place for us in the UAE. We trust Lulu to bring us the best. With world food, you are gathering a lot of different nationalities at one table.”

Arla Foods, the company behind presenting partner Puck, has stood alongside Lulu for years. Maartje Zegers, Arla’s head of modern trade, said from the stage that the partnership matters because “where the shopper of the UAE comes is Lulu, and it is such a diverse shopper profile.” That, she added, is “a direct hit” with the shoppers of Arla brands including Puck and Lurpak.

“The beauty of this event is that it caters to Lulu’s shoppers and also to our shoppers, because our shoppers come to shop at Lulu, and it really is not one nationality,” she said. “I think it’s also a perfect reflection of what the UAE is.” Zegers said to Gulf News.

Asked what had surprised her most during the festival, she did not hesitate. “The biryani. The biryani was amazing. I do not understand how they can cook everything in the store, somewhere in the kitchen. It is pretty impressive.”

Lulu Master Chef and offers

The evening also included an announcement for the Lulu Master Chef competition, which invites home cooks across the UAE to showcase their skills. “The kitchen is calling and the stage is awaiting,” the host told the audience, encouraging would-be contestants to “sharpen those knives.”

The festival runs across all Lulu stores in the UAE from October 26 to November 8.

It features cuisines including Indian, Arabic, Chinese, Continental and Filipino, live cooking demonstrations by international chefs at selected stores, and offers across groceries, frozen foods, fresh produce, meat, seafood, delicatessen products, kitchen appliances and household essentials.

Customers who spend Dhs100 can also take part in the “10,000 Trolleys – We Pay Back” promotion, with a chance to win the value of their shopping trolley.