The Dubai Food Festival will return in February with a packed programme that includes two completely new elements. The 17-day citywide festival will run from February 25 through March 12, celebrating the best of Dubai’s culinary offerings.
One of the festival's new elements is Dubai's first ever restaurant week. It will launch the first day of the festival and run for 10 days. Thirty of Dubai's best fine-dining restaurants are participating in restaurant week and will offer specially priced three-course set menus for just Dh189 a person. This gives people a unique opportunity to try a new high-end restaurant without breaking the bank. Some of the restaurants involved are Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen; Alta Badia; Social by Heinz Beck; Rang Mahal; Vivaldi by Alfredo Russo; and Qbara. Organisers predict this will be a popular offering during the festival so they advise guests to book early. You can make reservations now — and review the complete list of participating restaurants — on www.dubaifoodfestival.com.
Another new element for this year's festival focuses on Dubai's hidden gems. Festival organisers are inviting local residents and regular regional visitors to uncover the best, lesser known eateries in Dubai. Foodies are invited to submit their favourite hidden gems online at www.dubaihiddengems.com. People who participate will have a chance to win three nights in Dubai (with flights if needed) for two people. The winner will also win a bespoke dining experience at one of the restaurants taking part in Dubai Restaurant Week as well as a Hidden Gems tour experience with Gulf Photo Plus.
The popular Beach Canteen will be revamped and return as the festival’s central hub. The canteen will showcase 15 home-grown restaurant concepts, appearances from celebrity chefs; beach dining experiences; live entertainment; kids’ activities; beach sports and more. There will also be a festival information kiosk on site.
Additional highlights of the festival include Fatafeat Kitchen with demonstrations from celebrity chefs in Galleries Lafayette, The Dubai Mall; Street Nights; and Taste of Dubai. There will also be a range of special events and promotions at restaurants around the city.
The theme of this year's festival will be A Taste Celebration. Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, says: "Dubai has established its position as the culinary capital of the Middle East and one of the world's leading gastronomy destinations. The Dubai Food Festival is the perfect opportunity to showcase and celebrate the city's offering within the UAE and beyond."
For more information and updates, visit dubaifoodfestival.com.
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
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
