The Emirates Salon Culinaire (ESC) took place at Dubai World Trade Centre during Gulfood 2017, from 26 February – 2 March.
A total of 86 gold medals, 161 silver medals and 280 bronze medals were awarded during the five-day event.
President of the Judges, chef Otto Weibel, who has been attending the ESC since 1993, commented: “The standard was extremely high this year.”
President of the Guild, Chef Uwe Micheel, director of kitchens at Radisson Bleu Deira Creek, added: “We are proud to be able to put on such a great competition that really shows the talents of our chefs here in the UAE and gives a great opportunity for international competitors to come and compete alongside our UAE chefs.”
Organised by The Emirates Culinary Guild, Salon Culinaire saw more than 1,250 competitors from the UAE, Maldives, Russia, South Korea, and Bahrain compete in 29 classes across all disciplines of the Culinary arts.
This included ice carving, practical cookery, static displays, Emirati cuisine, cake decorating and showpiece categories.
The competition – the largest of its kind in the Middle East and Africa region – brought together 26 international and 12 UAE-based judges.
Guild Chairman Andy Cuthbert, general manager of Mina Salam Hotel and conference & incentives and Jumeirah Hospitality, said: “This year is of great importance to us as this is the first year we have had young Emirati chefs competing alongside the chefs in the competition.”
Chef Mohammad Al Banna and chef Fatma Abdulla Ibrahim Alajmi competed in the Emirati cuisine class and both received gold medals.
The Emirates Salon Culinaire is the largest culinary competition in the Guilds calendar, with the East Coast Salon taking place during the summer, and the La Cuisine Du Sial held in December during Sial Middle East in Abu Dhabi.
The Emirates Culinary Guild (ECG) is the association of professional chefs of the UAE. It is a non-profit- organisation, run by volunteers dedicated to the advancement of culinary art in the UAE.
The World Association of Chefs Societies (Worldchefs) is the 105-nation fellowship of the world’s professional chefs organisations.
Worldchefs endorses the ECG as the authorised professional culinary association for the UAE.
Winners
- Best Effort by an Individual Establishment – Dubai World Trade Centre
- Best Effort by a Corporation – Jumeirah Group
- Best Arabian Cuisinier – Rabeh Adel Amer, Radisson Blu Deira Creek
- Best Pastry Chef – Dodampage Achira Danushka Kularatne, Dubai International Hotel
- Best Kitchen Artist – Rohita Kumara Leelewansa Kasthuriarachchni, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab
- Best Cuisiner – R. Prasanna Kumar, Dubai International Hotel
- Middle East Young Chef of the Year – Dashrath Pakhrin, Radisson Blu Deira Creek
