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Emirati Competition
comprises 4 highly-competitive categories aimed at promoting Emirati cuisine worldwide
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Championship offers
a platform to highlight local authentic dishes & hospitality skills
Dubai World Hospitality Championship – Dubai, September 30, 2014 –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.
