Taste, savour, and enjoy: Your Guide to Taste of Abu Dhabi

Taste of Abu Dhabi Food Festival returns on November 15. Image Credit: Supplied

Get ready for a mouthwatering experience at the upcoming Taste of Abu Dhabi food festival in November. This highly anticipated event will bring together some of the world's most skilled and renowned chefs to showcase their culinary expertise. From Friday, November 15 to Sunday, November 17, 2024, food enthusiasts will flock to Gateway Park South on Yas Island in the Capital for a gastronomic extravaganza. With city's finest restaurants gathered in one place, attendees can anticipate an unparalleled culinary journey that will tantalise their taste buds and leave them with unforgettable dining memories.

Here are the latest details:

Take a first look at Taste Abu Dhabi's exclusive dishes, and get ready to win big with a brand new culinary competition announced by MENA Live Events. The event will feature a star-studded line-up of professional chefs demonstrating their skills all weekend.

Meet the culinary masters:

Taste of Abu Dhabi also announced an all-star line-up of celebrity chefs participating this year.

Marco Pierre White
Manal Alalem
Sanjeev Kapoor
Annabel Karmel
Hattem Mattar
José Pizarro
Eric Lanlard and Cameron Lamb
Chef Rich
Nisha Parmar
Vanessa Bayma
Jenny Morris
Fred Casagrande
Madeeha Qureshi
Annika Panikker
Geoffroi Herin
Anna Guidobaldi
Marcus Routbard

You can catch them all weekend at the signature Taste of Abu Dhabi culinary features; all included free of charge with your event ticket.

Plus, with some of your favourite hosts leading the sessions, including Virgin Radio's Priti Malik, Zoe Dickens, and Pitmaster Andrew Dickens, you know you'll be in for a treat!

Exit 10 and Aramtec FirePit

The fiery hub of Taste of Abu Dhabi, Exit 10, and Aramtec FirePit will be an exciting blend of entertainment and dining. Learn from the best pitmasters around about how to fire up the grill like a pro and how to make a crowd-pleasing recipe you can take home. You'll get to cook fresh meats from Aramtec to smokey perfection using premium Exit 10 BBQs and equipment.

Black + Decker and Noor Oil culinary stage:

The Black + Decker and Noor Oil Culinary Stage will allow you to watch as star chefs demonstrate how they perfect their signature dishes. It's your chance to ask your culinary hero exactly how much salt they include in a pinch, how to properly quenelle a mousse, coddle an egg, and so much more. Using Black + Decker appliances and Noor Oils, you can see star chefs preparing their signature recipes and cooking dishes using appliances that are suitable for home use.

Kibsons Cook School

The Kibsons Cook School will guide you through a hands-on, fun, and flavorful recipe led by a professional chef using fresh Kibsons products. Whether you're interested in sweet treats, aesthetic appetisers, or more, there's a session to suit all tastes.

The Taste – ICCA Culinary Challenge 2024

This year's culinary event, Taste of Abu Dhabi, is launching an exciting new competition in partnership with the International Centre of Culinary Arts (ICCA). Step into the spotlight and showcase your culinary talent by entering two categories:

1. The best plated meal

2. The best themed cake

The competition is now open for entries, so don't miss your chance to win big. Shortlisted applicants will proceed to round 2 at ICCA, with the finalists competing live at Taste of Abu Dhabi, being judged by celebrity chefs, including Marco Pierre White.

The winner of each category will receive an outstanding prize: an ICCA course and certification in culinary techniques – cookery, baking and patisserie, worth AED 20,500! And that's not all – winners will also get to enjoy a luxurious weekend staycation for two adults and two kids at The Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, as well as a Yas Theme Parks VIP Package for 2.

The Taste organisers have just released a sneak peek of the exclusive dishes from participating restaurants. These dishes are designed specifically for the event, so guests won't want to miss out on these culinary treats.

The first 5 Taste Exclusive Dishes announced so far:

•Barbossa – Baja Shrimp Tacos

•Craft by Side Hustle - Pastrami and pickles

•José by Pizarro - Bocadillo de Calamares

•TAON - Potato Shrimp Ball

•Oak Room – Wagyu Skewer

Top restaurants

•Otoro

•Barbosa

•Craft by Side Hustle

•José by Pizarro

•Li Jiang

•Mika

•Oak Room

•Silk and Spice

•TAON

•Paradisio

•The Director's Club

•Ryba

•BB Social Dining

•Desert Lotus

•Meat House Gourmet

•Catch

Artisan market

Take advantage of all this and more, including non-stop live bands and DJs, new enhanced VIP experiences, a mega kids zone and an artisan vendor village.

Tickets and packages

Advanced Tickets for Taste of Abu Dhabi are now on sale at Platinumlist.net. With a variety of ticket options to choose from, you can tailor you experience to suit your taste!

General Admission: AED 75

•1 day entry to the event

•Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day)

Taster Package: AED 180

• 1 day entry to the event

• 2 food vouchers

• 2 drink vouchers

• Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day)

VIP Package: AED 325

• 1 day entry to the event

• Fast-track entry to the event

• 3 food vouchers

• 4 drink vouchers

• Access to the Taste VIP Lounge, including dedicated entertainment, plush seating options and exclusive activations

• Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day)

Sunday VIP Brunch Package: AED 375

• Sunday entry to the event

• Fast-track entry to the event

• 5 food vouchers

• 5 drink vouchers

• Access to the Taste VIP Lounge, including dedicated entertainment, plush seating options and exclusive activations

• Access to Taste culinary workshops (registration first-come first-served on the day)

Friday Work Social Packages

Looking for the perfect team-building outing for your organisation? New this year, Taste of Abu Dhabi will be offering specially designed packages for companies to take Friday team lunch to the next level. Packages start from AED 130 per person.