Dubai to host The Best Chef Awards for the first time ever

The biggest one yet…

Big news for foodies, fiends and alike – Dubai is all set to host the 8th edition of the annual The Best Chef Awards, from November 4 to 6 this year. Their biggest and most exciting one yet, and the first one to be ever held in Dubai, the awards are a celebration of the craft of culinary excellence.

We already knew that but the arrival of the platform in the city is a recognition of the growing influence of Dubai as a bustling, colourful food city, with every measure of cuisine and tier to try from. This is a hub of good food if we know any, and has firmly cemented itself on the global culinary map.

The figures speak for themselves – Dubai was named one of the world’s top 10 cities for foodies and was ranked second in the world for restaurant density. Meanwhile, DET’s annual gastronomy research found that 79 per cent of UAE residents said Dubai is the world’s leading gastronomic hub, ahead of cities like Milan and Paris.

This inaugural regional edition has been powered by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, bringing gastronomy and the greats to the Middle East. Think an epic foodie lineup of some of the most renowned chefs in the world, including Vaughan Mabee of Amisfield, Albert Adrià of Enigma, Ángel León of Aponiente, and Floriano Pellegrino and Isabella Potì of BROS.

Aside from the international exports, locally acclaimed chefs will also be taking the stage, with names like Gregoire Berger of Ossiano, Mohammed Orfali of Orfali Bros and Himanshu Saini of Tresind Studio and Avatara up for key awards.

Other chefs will be showcasing their prowess for the world to see, such as Wassim Orfali of Orfali Bros and Christophe Devoille of The Royal Tea Room, Atlantis The Royal in pastry, alongside Tetsuya Wakuda of Sagetsu and Rita Sueidan of Maisan 15, Eva Halasa of Three by Eva, Kelvin Cheung of Jun’s, and Arianna Bundy of Ariana’s Persian Kitchen.

Here’s what to look forward to…

A new voting and ranking system has been introduced, and the platform is set to engage a prominent roster of journalists and influencers from the food industry. ‘Area Talks’ and the ‘Food Meets Science’ conference will feature interesting dialogue on culinary revolution and the future of food, led by chefs and academic experts. It’ll be all about food science, latest trends and technologies.

The conclusion of the event will be the Gala, where the accolades will be given. There will also be city-wide campaigns and industry activations which will include culinary pop-ups, interactive workshops, and business networking events, designed to attract restaurateurs, as well as hospitality and commercial developers, to further invest in the city.

For more information and updates, visit thebestchefawards.com

The Best Chef Awards, Nov 4 to 6, 2024, @thebestchefawards