Scottish tennis pro Andy Murray turned up at the Dubai Food Festival’s Beach Canteen unannounced over the weekend. On Saturday, Murray surprised festival-goers by joining celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor and chef Uwe Micheel, president of the Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG), and whipped up what he called ‘Murray Curry.’
He also served up Emirati dishes with young chefs from the ECG’s Young Chefs programme. The group was hosting a (3-day) pop-up in the Beach Canteen’s special celebrity pop up cafe. World Number 4 ranked Murray is in Dubai for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The tournament starts tomorrow and runs through February 28.
While we don’t think Murray will make a return appearance to the Beach Canteen between his matches, you can still get plenty of grub served up by notable chefs. The celebrity pop-up has already hosted acclaimed Saudi Arabian chef Yousef Khumayes (winner of LBC’s Top Chef) and chefs from the American restaurant The Inventing Room. The pop up is now hosting Chef Manal Al-Alem (Queen of the Arabian Kitchen) until February 23. And on February 26, Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton will take over the pop-up until February 28, the final day of the food festival.
For more, visit dubaifoodfestival.com.
sjohnson@thenational.ae
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
More on animal trafficking
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
Company name: Farmin
Date started: March 2019
Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: AgriTech
Initial investment: None to date
Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now