Emirati competition comprises 4 highly-competitive categories aimed at promoting Emirati cuisine worldwide.
DUBAI – The Supreme Committee of DWHC has completed a series of UAE-wide preliminary workshops for the final qualification of contestants participating in the second cycle of DWHC that will take place on October 30, 2014.
Held from September 21 to 28, 2014, the series of workshops received high participation of more than 1600 Emirati contestants who expressed their strong interest in joining the various competitions of the DWHC, a prestigious event which aims to position the UAE as an international center of excellence and creativity.
Celebrating Emirati Hospitality
The Emirati Competition is of particular importance as it has been specifically developed to showcase and celebrate genuine Emirati hospitality and authentic cuisine in a bid to promote local hospitality worldwide. The competition has gained massive recognition in the UAE. It is one of the leading initiatives for promoting UAE’s identity and heritage in light of the growing trend towards modernity. The competition is poised to attract local amateur chefs to compete for top places in four different categories. They are set to showcase their best skills and talents in the preparation of Emirati dishes based on traditional recipes handed down from generation to generation.
Promising Opportunities
The Emirati Competition offers an ideal opportunity to discover national talents in the culinary and hospitality industries as they show off their skills in a high-pressure environment. In each category, contestants will face various challenges to determine their ability to meet criteria such as set timings, quality, and traditional taste. The Emirati Competition has been successful throughout the workshops, with the number of participants reaching more than 1600 across all the seven emirates.
First Stop in Fujairah
The first workshop was held in Novotel Hotel, Fujairah, in cooperation with the Fujairah Welfare Association. The event was attended by H.E. Ahmed Bin Hareb Al Falahi, President of DWHC; Ahmed Al Sharif, Vice President of DWHC; Ali Mubarak Bin Abbad Al Abdooli, General Manager; and other senior officials from DWHC. Bin Hareb reassured the contestants of the judges’ impartiality as he reiterated the importance of using only Emirati ingredients to maintain the authenticity and traditional taste of local cuisine.
Bin Hareb was also pleased with the high turnout at the Fujairah workshop, saying that the positive response clearly reflects the community’s wide interest to take part in DWHC. He said it also shows the community’s commitment to promote local hospitality to the international stage, further underlining the championship’s successful quest to attain its mission of reinforcing the country’s status in the global arena. Lastly, Bin Hareb commended the Fujairah Welfare Association for its support. He presented Al Abdooli with a certificate in recognition of Fujairah’s role as the first emirate to deliver all the requirements of its contestants.
For his part, Al Abdooli said: “We welcome the members of the DWHC committee to Fujairah today to announce the names of those who qualified for the championship. We at Fujairah Welfare Association are proud to be the first group to support the workshop and participate in it. The second cycle of DWHC offers valuable opportunities for amateur and professional chefs in Fujairah. We are honored to support such event that plays a pivotal role in promoting Emirati identity, heritage and culture to the world. It motivates us to continue supporting all efforts aimed at promoting the role of hospitality in terms of serving the community and promoting our authentic heritage.”
Success in Sharjah
The second stage of the workshops was held in the Emirate of Sharjah at the headquarters of the Women’s Union Association in Sharjah. The session embraced a huge turnout of participants who expressed their eagerness to contribute to the UAE’s visibility in global hospitality through the promotion of traditional Emirati recipes handed down through generations in front of the jury which highlight the rich cultural diversity enjoyed by the country.
Sarah Bin Karam, General Manager of the Women’s Union Association in Sharjah, commented on the high level of organization and precision involved in preparing the second cycle of the Dubai World Hospitality Championship. She noted that the assembly is excited to participate in the event’s second year through exhibiting exceptional skills in the art of cooking by the participants.
“The high workshop turnout in Sharjah underlines the growing interest in this event, which celebrates the authenticity and nobility of cooking in the UAE. As part of our preparations, we conducted a training course for this year’s lady participants supervised by DWHC 2013 who came from Sharjah to share key skills and provide encouragement. We wish the participants all the best and hope that they will achieve excellence and leadership in cooking and hospitality,” Bin Karam said.
For his part, Ahmed bin Hareb expressed gratitude to all the contributions made by the participating parties for their supporting efforts in presenting the art of Emirati hospitality. He praised the Assembly’s impressive efforts to organize the well-attended workshop which welcomed Emiratis aspiring to join DWHC’s second cycle. Bin Hareb expressed his appreciation over the level of creativity and innovation shown by participants, voicing his confidence in their ability to achieve positive results during next month’s competitions.
Impressive turnout in Abu Dhabi
The third stop of the workshops held in Abu Dhabi also logged an impressive turnout for all categories of the competition, especially the number of young talents aspiring to compete in the “Food Creations” category. Ahmed bin Hareb explained that the Abu Dhabi Workshop was a very important phase given the wide participation of locals. He predicted that the representatives of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi would perform strongly and pose major challenges to participants from the other emirates.
Bin Hareb said: “Abu Dhabi is clearly participating with high potential and promising efficiencies in the second cycle of the championship to continuously improve on its performance since last year’s championship. We look forward to the strong imprint and major contributions as we wish great success to all the representatives of the capital; we hope to see them on top of the podium. We are honoured by the limitless support of local government which will definitely put the name of the UAE on the map of global hospitality.”
For his part, Ahmed Sharif, Vice President of DWHC said: “Abu Dhabi is providing a high level of participation to this year’s competition which will be important to the success of the event. We are confident that the 2014 cycle will make the creativity of Emiratis stand out in the local, regional and international markets.”
Wide participation of women in Umm Al Quwain
The Umm Al Quwain workshop has been held in collaboration with Umm Al Quwain Charity Association and Women’s Society in Umm Al Quwain, and enjoyed wide participation from women. Hessa Sohail, Director of Umm Al Quwain Charity Association, said: “We are eager to participate in Dubai World Hospitality Championship and compete in all categories of “Emirati Competition.” Given the huge turnout during the preliminary workshop, we expect the participants of Umm Al Quwain to perform very well and achieve honourable results, especially since they have a high level of skill and proficiency in the art of Emirati cooking. The workshop showed the growing awareness among women about the scope of the competition which now incorporates Emirati household products in competition with global markets. We are pleased to host the DWHC committee in Umm Al Quwain and we are confident that all participants will achieve great results in the Championship.”
For her part, Aisha Al Talai, Director of Women’s Society in Umm Al Quwain, expressed her pride in supporting participants who will represent Umm Al Quwain in the “Emirati Competition.” She noted that the Women’s Society in Umm Al Quwain has conducted a series of trainings and educational courses to improve the ability of participants and ensure their strong performance during this workshop in compliance with competition standards.
“The success of this workshop translates to the success of the championship itself, which will undoubtedly be a new achievement we can all be proud of. On behalf of the Women’s Society in Umm Al Quwain, I would like to thank H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, for extending his support to this championship and for his eagerness to keep the art of authentic Emirati hospitality alive. I would also like to thank H.E. Mohammed Ahmed Bin Hareb Al Falahi for uplifting the unifying spirit that brings all of the emirates together in steadfast loyalty to their origins, heritage and rich history, all of which are sources of pride for the people of the UAE. Umm Al Quwain is committed to preserving the art of Emirati cooking, so through our participation in the “Emirati competition we look forward to representing the emirate well by offering traditional dishes based on recipes that have been handed down from past generations,” Al Talai said.
Excellency at Ras Al Khaimah
The Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) workshop witnessed a large turnout of participants for the “Emirati Competition” organized in cooperation with the Women’s Association. The participating teams showed their skills in the preparation of traditional Emirati cuisine, including sweets, in addition to other aspects such as home innovations.
Maryam Al Shehhi, Head of Girl Guides at Ras Al Khaimah, said: “I would like to express my gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for supporting DWHC. We appreciate his special interest in making the country a strong global competitor. By organizing the Emirati Competition workshop in RAK, we seek to spread the culture of Emirati hospitality all over the world. I would also like to thank H.E. Ahmed Bin Hareb and his team for their unwavering quest for the success of this tournament.”
Arbitration
The Emirati Competition will be judged based on a set of criteria to ensure that dishes represent the traditional culinary style and flavours along with a distinct, authentic Emirati taste. The winning criteria are consistent with the general standards adopted in DWHC 2014. The most important standards include taste, approach, time, amount, presentation, cleanliness, colour, odour and homogeneity. Smart electronic technologies which function through a special arbitration application will be used to ensure accuracy. Competitors’ dishes will be evaluated by a high-class jury of UAE’s nationals who have distinctive, innovative talents along with leading culinary skills.
The Emirati Competition will be judged under the ‘Cooking with Wood or Charcoal,’ ‘Professional,’ and ‘Amateur’ categories by three sets of juries. Each jury will be responsible for recording any excesses during competitions and giving recommendations regarding point deduction. The judges have to strictly review each recipe to keep the quality of traditional dishes prepared by participants in check. The jury applauded the enthusiasm among participants for the 2nd cycle of the DWHC and stated that it reflects the increasing awareness among local society about the importance and standards of the championship. The jury members said that the UAE-wide workshops have helped bring out the diverse flavours and ingredients of Emirati cuisine.
“The coastal areas of the UAE are known for fish and seafood, while the mountainous areas are renowned for meat dishes. During our tours of the country, we noticed that there were differences in the names of the desserts with slight variations in tastes, preparation methods, and presentation. The workshops enabled us to recognize the uniqueness of the Emirati cuisine and traditional dishes, such as Meat Salonah, Sago, Ghaf, Balaleet, Batheeth, and Chicken Arsiyah,” the jury members added.
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She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
