Dubai: Gulfood 2024, the world’s largest annual food and beverage event, has concluded its five-day run successfully at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
The five-day event featured a star-studded line-up of internationally famous chefs who shared their expertise in over 90 masterclasses. They showcased traditional cooking methods, elevated authentic ingredients, and revealed the stories behind the world’s best-loved dishes.
In Chef Talks, established and emerging chefs shared tips and insights on popular dishes of the year that will shape the cooking industry’s future. Top-listed participants in the event include Chef Alain Passard of L’Arpege, Chef Enrico Cerea of da Vittorio, Chef Joan Roca of El Celler de Can Roca, and Chef Mark Donald of The Glenturret.
Along with international partners, the event featured homegrown chefs including Chef Vladimir Mukhin of Dubai’s White Rabbit Krasota. The theme of Gulfood 2024 enlightens the fusion of rich heritage and traditional culinary practices with modern, innovative techniques.
Dubai World Cuisine is a city-wide collaborative dinner series that brings together talented local chefs and renowned culinary icons from Europe. These events aim to help establish Dubai as a culinary hub and shape its cultural identity. So far, six successful dinners have been held at some of Dubai’s most renowned culinary venues, including Crasotta, Lowe’s, Takahisa, Armani Ristorante, Foley and F.R.N.D.S. Grand Cafe.
The event features collaborations between Michelin-starred chef Akira Back and Pepe Solla, the chef and owner of the one-Michelin-star Casa Solla restaurant. Additionally, Chef Kelvin Cheung of Jun’s, Dubai, is teaming up with Begona Rodrigo of La Salita in the Valencian capital. Begona Rodrigo is a Michelin star recipient and a renowned vegetable chef.
Tracy Reynolds, Consul General of Canada in Dubai, commented that, “The UAE is a major market for us and a major hub for the region and beyond. Last year, the UAE exported about $50 million worth of food products to Canada, while Canada exports almost $700 million a year to the UAE.”
“Last year Canadian companies accounted for 45 percent of all foreign direct investment into Dubai. We know that if we come to Gulfood and do business, it goes beyond just the UAE and the Gulf market. They have the ability to develop other markets throughout the region,” Reynolds added.
Leading global food futurologist Dr. Morgan Gay engaged attendees at the Gulfood Inspire conference with a fascinating overview of food and beverages trends on track, including the growth of sustainability and eco-friendly products, reducing and reusing waste and packaging. Locally produced products, a return to the forgotten, heritage, local and regional flavours, more handmade products, attention to aesthetics and more.
Kinza’s Founder and CEO, Bandar Akrin stated that, “During the Gulfood exhibition, we have signed partnerships to enter ten new markets, and we are in negotiations with a number of commercial partners to open factories and license manufacturing in further new markets.”
Martin Camus, VP of Procurement, DNATA USA, said that, “I found Gulfood this year to be a fantastic event, and managed to meet with suppliers from all over the globe. The key trends I’ve noticed this year is a lot more focus from supplies on consistency and quality, and also a lot more details about their supply chains and sustainability.”
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