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UAE, 1 November, 2014 - Emirati cuisine reflects the rich cultural diversity of the UAE, which has been a centre of trade since the ancient times. The country acquired unique and diverse culinary tastes as a result of this vibrant trade, helping it becoming a hub of excellence in the field of hospitality and culinary arts.
Amna Al Dhaheri, Manager of Emirati Competition, said: 'The Emirati Competition of the Dubai World Hospitality Championship provided an opportunity for professional chefs and amateurs alike to showcase their skills to the international stage. A total of 252 professional and amateur competitors will choose from 96 pre-selected traditional dishes. Thirty-six participants are representing different emirates to compete in the professional and amateur categories. Visitors also have the opportunity to learn some culinary techniques from the participants as well as taste the food innovations of talented chefs.”
Professional Category
Al Dhaheri added that this category provides Emirati chefs a platform to showcase their experience and creative skills in the culinary field. Under it, competitors are required to prepare traditional meals and sweets from the pre-selected list. Their food creations must reflect authentic Emirati tastes. A high-level committee will evaluate their dishes based on the set criteria.
Amateur Category
Al Dhaheri mentioned that this category showcased the talents of young chefs with ages ranging from 15 to 27 years old. They choose from pre-selected Emirati cuisine list and their creations will be judged by a special jury.
One of the participants competing in the professional category, Wadad Al Dhahouri, prepared a full breakfast meal consisting of “Nakhi” and “Blaleet” and “Jebab bread” during the initial round. Finishing the preparations within an hour and a half, she prepared a high-quality meal which qualified her to move to the next round. She said that she was inspired to give her best this year after failing to make it to last year's cycle, and attributed her love for cooking for achieving her goal this year.
Maryam Mohammed Salem said that, a high number of professional women chefs expressed their interest in joining this year's DWHC in order to compete alongside regional and global culinary connoisseurs and show off their creations and innovations. Housewives also made it to the list of competitors this year. DWHC aims to put the UAE talents and unique hospitality and culinary traditions on the global map.
Participant Ousha Obaid Bakhit, who shares her passion for culinary arts and boasts of her ability to prepare four sets of meals for her family and neighbors, said her mother had a great influence on her. Even though they have 4 household helpers, she makes sure that she is actively involved in meal preparations. She was also encouraged by her children's support, saying that their confidence in her was the main reason she made it to the professional category.
Self-training
Contestant, Alia Salem Al Shamsi said that she learned by herself the art of cooking and culinary creativity and innovation. Her family and friends expressed their support for her, saying participating in DWHC is a dream come true for many professional women chefs.
On the other hand, the participants in the amateur category were happy to be part of the championship, which successfully gained the world's attention. Contestant Kaltham Hilal Ketbi said: “Emirati girls always aspire to introduce their local cooking and hospitality traditions as well as those from other Arab and Gulf countries. DWHC provides us an opportunity to showcase our abilities to the world and preserves our heritage for the future generation.”
According to Afra Khalfan Mohamed, another contestant, the championship represents a global platform for chefs. The Emirati Competition is witnessing high participation in both professional and amateur categories. Afra said she joined the competition to help highlight the traditional Emirati cuisines. She noted that it is now time to put the global spotlight on the unique local dishes.
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