Anchor MasterChef Challenge returns to Dubai

The Anchor MasterChef Challenge is returning to the UAE for its last leg and final, after already testing junior chefs’ skills throughout the GCC.

Two cook-off rounds for UAE-based chefs will be held at the Culinarum, a professional kitchen in Dubai, custom-built for Fonterra, producers of Anchor, between February 6 and 8 before the final on February 15 and 16, which will see one team leave with a AED 30,000 (US $8167) prize.

Now in its third year, it is the first time the competition has held legs outside of the UAE and has had 40 teams of two chefs entered. In the final there will be 8 teams – one selected from Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the northern emirates, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Peter Hallmanns, advisory chef for Fonterra, said: “We’ve tried to be fair and give every country or emirate a chance, because these teams will be our ambassadors and push the competition even further. It was a tremendous first time for us outside of the UAE – the standards are very competitive and it will be a very exciting final.”

While in the cook-off rounds the two chefs – one pastry and one hot kitchen – will prepare their signature three-course menu, in the final, teams complete a ‘mystery basket’ round, where they are given products on the morning and need to devise a menu from what is available.

Hallmanns added that he doesn’t like it to be compared to other cooking competitions: “We set ourselves apart – we offer workshops to enhance the competition cooking skills of junior chefs so they can grow.”

“I have seen some fantastic new techniques in terms of plating, garnishing and presentation of starters and deserts, and with the UAE leg starting next week, I’m sure I’ll see a few more.”

“We have started at a very high level – at an international cooking competition level and in terms of competition cooking we can’t go any higher. What we can do though is expand it and take it to more people and more chefs,” he concluded.