Mar 6, 2012

Gourmet Abu Dhabi Closing Ceremonies

The international food fest finally came to an end on Thursday February 23rd.  Chefs form around the world came to the UAE to showcase their skills and share their love of gastronomy.  I was keeping up every step of the way.  The ceremonies were held at the Rocco Forte Hotel in Abu Dhabi. a swanky venue for a classy event.  The decor and lighting were warm and inviting including the citrus laden centerpieces on every table.

Mariam and I were dressed for the occasion and ready for the feast! Not only were we set to enjoy a a six course meal by the culinary greats from the event, but we were also hosted and entertained by Mr. Won Ho Chung and Mrs. Suzanne Husseinni! 

The First course consisted of Swiss Michelin star Chef, Denis Martin's interpretation of a posh breakfast.  The bircher muesli "Suisse" de foie canard.  My interpretation of this rather simple looking dish was pop rocks with gooey gellie of duck foie gras.  The textures were unbelievable in, It was a party in my mouth, literally!! Everything was popping, crunching, melting and munching!

Denis Martin is an ultimate representative of molecular cooking in Switzerland, achieving two-Michelin-stars under his belt in the process. He is a chef who is as capable of manipulating the textures of ingredients as he is with its spices, resulting in dishes that are original and always very tasty. Chef Martin and his dedicated crew are continually looking for new possibilities and they are forever trying to break the boundaries of their culinary imagination, discovering amazing new techniques and developing them throughout the year.
The second course was by the UAE's first female national chef, Khulood Atiq, from Dubai.  Chef Atiq is currently developing an Emirati cuisine cookbook, which she hopes will help raise international awareness of this highly-traditional type of food.
This course consisted of three different types of fish:
  • Azzam-nayeera with beyah arabi and Emirati spice
  • Grilled Shari Eshkeli with Green Mango Sauce
  • Salty Fish Cakes with Naiser Mousse
They were all beautifully executed and varied in texture flavor and color.  This was my favorite course out of the six. 
The third course was focused more on the local produce, called desert vegetables rice with yuzu aioli by Rodrigo De La Calle of Spain.

Course four was a palette cleanser by Pedro Arceyut of the Rocco Forte Hotel.  The spicy mango sorbet & pumpkin seeds was the perfect density and balance of flavors necessary for this to serve its purpose.  

These fabulous concoctions were created by award winning Swedish Mixologists, Ben-David Sorum, Dannie Sorum, and Thomas Anostam  with drink names like Sargeant Pepper and Frisky Business,  these guys are not only skilled at their craft, but also tap into their creativity when it comes to their presentation


Gourmet Abu Dhabi has set the bar very high for other culinary events. It was an honor to be part of the festivities.  With so many more outlets opening in Abu Dhabi, the next year promises to be event better.  For more information check out the website:

http://www.gourmetabudhabi.ae/ad2012/english/index.php



2 comments:

  1. Hey, nice site you have here! Keep up the excellent work!





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