Expo 2020 Dubai promises to have more on show than culture, technology, performances and architecture – it's also set to be a foodie haven.
Ahead of the exhibition's opening in October, new details have been released about its culinary offerings. This includes pop-ups from Michelin-starred chefs, cuisines for every budget and palate, and a plethora of international restaurants debuting in the UAE.
"One of the best ways to discover a country is by sampling its cuisine, and at Expo 2020, visitors are able to eat their way around the world without it leaving the UAE," says Marjan Faraidooni, chief visitor experience officer of Expo 2020 Dubai.
“Many of the 191 participating countries will also be serving authentic dishes and drinks at their pavilions."
Here’s a look at some of the things to expect at the global fair.
Celebrity chefs
Expo 2020 Dubai will feature a lauded line-up of award-winning chefs representing restaurants that have earned Michelin stars.
This includes American restaurateur David Myers, who will combine classic American fast food with an international influence at Adrift Burger Bar, and celebrated Armenian-American chef Geoffrey Zakarian, who will debut The National Bar & Dining Rooms, his vision of a grand cafe, offering modern bistro cuisine. Both restaurants are new concepts making their debut at Expo 2020.
Celebrity chef, author and entrepreneur Matthew Kenney, meanwhile, will serve renditions of American, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours through three plant-based restaurant concepts from the US.
Mory Sacko, a rising talent in Paris's restaurant scene whose MoSuke restaurant was awarded a Michelin star only two months after opening, will bring his signature African-Japanese fusion cuisine to the UAE.
Finally, Rohit Ghai – known for his work at various Michelin-starred restaurants – will bring an outpost of acclaimed restaurant Kutir from London’s Chelsea to Dubai. Kutir draws inspiration from the royal tradition of hunting expeditions in the Indian countryside to create an experimental menu. Some of the restaurant's most famous dishes include the truffle and mushroom khichdi and a 24-hour slow-cooked rogan josh.
New concepts
UAE residents will be able to taste new flavours as internationally acclaimed restaurants are introduced at Expo 2020. These include famous Italian venue Scarpetta, which will launch its first burrata bar, and Australian chef David Thompson’s renowned Thai street-food chain Long Chim.
Other tasty arrivals include the British concept Bread Ahead, which specialises in doughnuts and gluten-free sourdough; Beirut’s neighbourhood Mediterranean joint Baron; and Kojaki, a fusion concept that melds Japanese and Korean cuisines.
Residents can also expect to find a host of new foodie experiences. Alkebulan African dining hall, curated by former opera singer-turned-restaurateur Alexander Smalls, will feature 11 chef-led concepts from across the African continent.
Taste of the Gulf will celebrate the region’s rich culinary heritage, while Talabat will host a cloud kitchen, with delivery robots and robotic baristas also touted to make an appearance.
Home-grown favourites
Visitors can also sample the best the UAE has to offer at Expo 2020 Dubai, including the nation's hidden culinary gems.
Local favourites, serving everything from authentic Middle Eastern fare to Indian and Filipino cuisines, will be on display.
This includes stalwarts such as Arabian Tea House; Al Farwania, famous for its biryani and karak tea; Filipino hot spot Dampa Seafood Grill; Lebanon's Al Reef Bakery; and Hanon Feras Sweets, famous for its delicious kunafa.
The six-month spectacle also features Pakistani street food go-to Ravi Restaurant; Maraheb Yemeni Restaurant; Chicken Tikka Inn; and Sarouja Restaurant and Cafe, a popular Syrian and Mediterranean spot.
Expo 2020 Dubai, a celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture, will run from Friday, October 1, 2021 to Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Details on tickets and timings are available here.
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
