Sponsored: Submit your entry now for the chance to win a Dhs10,000 prize…

The hunt for the UAE’s best amateur BBQ master and you could be crowned champion. Think you’ve got what it takes? The perfect recipe? The ultimate barbecue skills and a way of presenting it that just makes people want to dig in?

The competition is named ‘Smoke and Flames’ and is proudly brought to you by Rotana Hotels, smoked meat kitchen The Mattar Farm, owned by Hattem Mattar and yours truly, What’s On. There’s Dhs10,000 up for grabs for the winner, plus other great prizes too.

It launched on February 15. To enter you must submit your favourite (and in your opinion, winning) barbecue recipe plus a fun 60-second video of you creating the dish on the barbecue itself. You will also need to explain why you deserve to be part of the competition during the video and submit a photo of the final dish.

Don’t worry, you’re not too late. Submissions are open until March 1, 2021. Get creative with your videos. Sprinkle that salt, slice up that chargrilled meat and rustle up those sides like your life depends on it.

The winner is set to scoop a prize of Dhs10,000 and a Weber grill, as well as having your recipe listed on Rotana’s F&B participating outlets’ menus for a period of a one year and so much more. Register via this link. 

After a shortlist of 12 people is chosen from the original submissions, semi-final events will take place in Dubai from March 19 to 20 at Morgan’s, Al Bandar Rotana and JB’s Amwaj Rotana. Semi-finals will also take place in Abu Dhabi, March 26 to 27 at at Garden by Bayview/Rodeo Grill at Beach Rotana and Cooper’s Park Rotana.

The contestants will battle it out to make it to the next round, and one step closer to being crowned the champion. Out of the participants in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, three BBQ chefs will be selected to go on to the live finals, which will take place at Sadiyaat Rotana Resort & Villas.

This huge live ultimate cookout will take place with a huge grill, wood-smoker and plenty more. It will kick off on Saturday, April 3.

The final round will be evaluated by four key panelists: Hattem Mattar, world’s first Arab Pitmaster and owner of Mattar Farm, Samantha Wood, founder of impartial restaurant review website FooDiva, Ian Fairservice, Founder, Managing Partner and Group Editor of Motivate Publishing, President of the UAE’s culinary association La Chaine des Rotisseurs, and member of the World Board in Paris and Guy Hutchinson, President & CEO of Rotana.

Register here.

Images: Provided