Surprises in store for Salon Culinaire 2010

The next Dubai Salon Culinaire — set to take place in 2010 at the region’s largest F&B trade show, Gulfood —will feature exciting new elements and competition categories, according to a member of the Emirates Culinary Guild.

Speaking exclusively to Caterer Middle East at the Middle East Junior Chef of the Year competition, held at Oasis Centre in Dubai earlier this month, competition judge Andy Cuthbert — Jumeirah Emirates Towers’ executive assistant manager for F&B and Jumeirah Hospitality — said one of the new additions would be an international team event.

”We’ve developed a class called the Coffeepot Challenge, for which we’ll invite eight teams from all over the world to come and compete for the Coffeepot trophy,” he explained.

“They will have to produce a buffet for 20 people, like a little outside catering event. So they’ve got to do appetisers, seven mains, some desserts — and the focus is really on the food.”

Cuthbert added that the Guild was delighted to have found “sponsors for everything”.

“The teams’ only expenses are going to be their flights and food while here,” he said.

“We are going to pay for accommodation, arrange for them to work in a hotel’s kitchen and borrow a refrigerated truck, order their food for them, organise transportation — and we give them US $1000 just for coming over.”

“We’ve already invited Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt and South Africa, where our head office is,” Cuthbert added.

“We’ve also had interest from Sweden and the UK, so I think it’s going to be a great success.”
 

For more information about Gulfood 2010 and the Salon Culinaire, please click here.