Dubai: A long-term plan to introduce Emirati menus in most restaurants and hotels is set to unfold after the end of Dubai World Hospitality Championship.
Shaikha Al Mutawa, Member of the “local championship” category committee of the Dubai World Hospitality Championship - scheduled for the first time between November 16-18 - told Gulf News the competition is focusing on bringing out Emirati talent and promoting a modern revival of Emirati food.
Dubai World Hospitality Championship 2013 is under the directive of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, and is organised by Zabeel Palace Hospitality in cooperation with World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) and The Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG).
The international event will consist of the International Tournament where official country teams will participate, The Emirati Tournament- which is divided to four categories, an Emirati Heritage Village where people can learn more about the UAE culture, and a station where international chefs will provide educational demonstrations.
There are 96 Emirati dishes, according to the championship’s committee which held a workshop that included different Emirati associations and unions, such as the Fujairah Welfare Association, Dubai Women’s Association, Abu Dhabi Women’s Association, the General Women Union.
Shaikha said that it is Emiratis responsibility to work on spreading their culture and food and making it accessible to the almost 200 nationalities in the UAE.
“We know we are the gatekeepers and we need to work hard to make sure that we are giving everyone living in the UAE and Dubai access to Emirati food. It’s their right. If they live in the UAE they need to feel what UAE is about, its culture, rituals and have a taste of its food.”
She said that people should be able to have easy access to Emirati food and recipes to make it at home too. She added they are planning to have Emirati food available at big chain supermarkets.
“We want people to be able to pick up a menu in any restaurant and be able to say, I want ‘Machboos’ or ‘Metabban’ or for example ‘Balaleet’, Emirati food is simple and easy and the ingredients are very simple … we hope that all hotels will apply this.”
She noted that the Championship will help spread the knowledge of Emirati food to chefs that work in hotels.
“If you notice how we did the championship, you’ll notice the huge involvement of different teams. We brought hotels and restaurants from across Dubai and put them through the experience of Emirati cuisine.”
“Imagine the amount of interaction and knowledge that they will get from this interactions?”
She added that one of the reasons why most hotels do not have Emirati food is that “they might not know how to cook it well, and they do not want to risk it not coming out right … but this will change after the championship,” Shaikha said.
The championship, she said, is open to everyone and will enable residents and visitors to the UAE to experience not only Emirati food, but also traditions, hospitality and culture from all seven Emirates.
“Some people might say that there is no demand for Emirati food, but believe me there is. Emirati cuisine is as delicious as any other cuisine in the world … we want to make it popular and position it in such a way that it becomes an international cuisine, that can be cooked in London or Tokyo and everywhere,” she explained
The championship will also act as a platform for Emiratis who make Emirati products, such as Emirati pickles, traditional Emirati ghee, dates; get exposure and maybe government support for their businesses.
