Gourmet gala
It’s time for foodies living in the UAE to gather in droves – your dose of high-energy all-thingsgastronomic fun is set for three days at Taste of Abu Dhabi on November 8, 9 and 10 at du Arena, Yas Island. The massive culinary celebration offers up a unique chance to grab a bite of the city’s best tastes from some of the most popular restaurants. There’s 48 signature dishes from so many eateries and several beverage outlets to sample from, and you’ll taste and sip your way to the tunes of local and international music talent and former Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle, The Bootleg Beatles, Sarah Ikumu, who was a Britain’s Got Talent singer last year – and there’ll also be live music all day.
There’s events that are sure to please the fussiest of foodies. Want fresh vegetables and produce from farms in Abu Dhabi? There’s a Farmer’s Market. Quite the baking and dessert aficionado? Head to the Big Baking Tent, where there will also be masterclasses from Master Pâtissier Eric Lanlard. There’s even a BBQ Steak-Out by Master Chef Tarek Ibrahim with guest chefs Anthony Pichon, Hattem Mattar and Mohammad Orfali – listen carefully, because they’ll let you in on all the BBQ secrets in time for UAE’s grilling season.
It’s not all about the food either – after gorging on all those irresistible treats make your way to the Wellness Pavilion, where you can access health check-ups, various wellness items and pampering beauty services.
Think you can give top chefs a run for their money? Grab your chance to cook alongside your favourite chefs – think Gary Rhodes, Sanjeev Kapoor, Reza Mahammad, Jenny Morris, and local chefs Mohammad Orfali, Tarek Ibrahim, Fathima Ahmed and Hattem Mattar and Anthony Pichon – at a cooking challenge.
Why should adults have all the fun? There’s also cooking and baking classes for the little ones (along with free entry for the under 12s), plus a zone that’ll entertain them with arts and crafts, inflatables and face painting. Those little green fingers can also get muddy, with a workshop where they’ll plant their very own vegetable seeds to take home and watch grow.
Quite keen to flaunt your baking decoration skills? The UAE’s biggest-ever Bake Off competition will see you do just that and win Baking and Patisserie courses worth Dh25,000 at The International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) in Dubai.
Visit tasteabudhabi.com to book into all the gourmet fun. For fast-track entry – with drink and food vouchers too! – grab a VIP ticket. Make sure you visit Friday magazine’s pavilion on November 9! You’ll have a fantastic chance to get your pics taken with chef Eric Lanlard from 3-3.30pm, and Jenny Morris and Reza Mahammad from 5-5.30pm. That’s not all – bring your glam game and pose to become Friday’s cover star!