Dubai's culinary storm

WHILST THE PROMOTIONS look great over this coming Dubai Food Festival, it is the number of celebrity chefs heading to the city we can't get over. From February 25 to March 12 no fewer than 14 famed TV chefs from all over the world will be hosting various events across Dubai. 
Representing Arabian, Greek, French and Australian cuisines, Australian MasterChef hosts George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan will be joined by the French-born star of My Kitchen Rules Manu Feildel; television favourite and restauranteur Matt Moran and the hugely popular restauranteur and author, Shannon Bennett. Adding to this international line-up is the "Queen of the Arabian Kitchen", Chef Manal Al Alem, a highly celebrated figure in Middle Eastern cooking. 
Fatafeat Kitchen, the free display event at Galeries Lafayette Le Gourmet, The Dubai Mall on February 26 and 27, will also present channel favourites including Arda Turkmen and Lidia Bastianich. Chef Sadiqa Ismail of Kuwait will be introduced to the fans for the first time. Mohamad Orfali, Tarek Ibrahim, Salma Sulaiman, Layla Fathalla, Waffaa Al Kandari and Da'ad Abu Jaber will complete the list. 
Here is a little more on some of the headline acts and where to find them over the festival: 
George Calombaris 
Host of Master Chef Australia and Chef's Hat recipient, George Calombaris is one of the most accomplished chefs in Australia. Born into a family of Greek immigrants, Hellenic food and culture was a large part of his upbringing and has been a central part of his journey as a chef and restaurateur. His flagship restaurant The Press Club introduced Australians to modern Greek cuisine. He has also extended his vision to open several other establishments across Melbourne including Gazi, Hellenic Republic, Press Club, Mastic and Souvlakia chain Jimmy Grants. His ambitious and meaningful contribution to Australia's food culture has been recognised through multiple awards including "Chef of the Year" (2008) and Restaurant of the Year (The Press Club, 2008). 
Fans of George will have the opportunity to meet him at the Beach Canteen, dine with him at Dine with the Stars on Feb 26 or participate in one of his Master Classes. 
Shannon Bennett 
He began his formal training in Melbourne's Grand Hyatt and extended to Europe working under some of the most renowned Chefs in the world. He returned to Melbourne at the age of 24 and opened his first restaurant Vue de monde. His edgy and challenging approach to the art of fine dining granted him great notoriety and saw his restaurant empire and reputation grow with Café Vue and Bistro Vue. Bennett was also the first Australian granted membership of Jeunes Restaurateurs D'Europe and Les Grandes Tables du Monde. In 2014 Shannon opened his newest Restaurant Jardin Tan in Melbourne's Botanical Gardens. 
Fans of Shannon will have the opportunity to meet him at the Beach Canteen, dine with him at Dine with the Stars on Feb 26 or participate in one of his Master Classes.
Matt Moran
Sydney born Matt Moran has been a prominent figure in Australian cooking for the past twenty years. After opening his first restaurant The Paddington Inn Bistro in 1991, he has gone on to open seven other restaurants. In 1999 he opened his flagship ARIA restaurant located in Sydney's Harbour . Since its opening it has been awarded two "Chef's Hats" from the Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide on ten occasions. Over the past decade he has expanded his restaurant empire with seven different establishments having opened across Australia. Matt is also a television favourite having appeared in numerous programmes including The Chopping Block, Paddock to Plate and most recently The Great Australian Bake Off. Fans of Matt will have the opportunity to meet him at the Beach Canteen, dine with him at Dine with the Stars on Feb 26 or participate in one of his Master Classes. 
Gary Mehigan 
Best known for his role as host and mentor on Master Chef Australia, British born and trained Chef Gary Mehigan moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1991. Since then having worked in some of Melbourne's most elite restaurants Mehigan has established himself as a household name and prominent figure in Australian cooking. In 2005 he opened Boathouse with business partner Steve Bogdani. Gary has been a familiar face in living rooms across Australia for many years, teaching Australians to cook through television programs like Good Chef, Bad Chef, Boy's Weekend . Fans of Gary will have the opportunity to meet him at the Beach Canteen, dine with him at Dine with the Stars on Feb 26 or participate in one of his Master Classes.
Manu Feildel 
Manu Feildel decided to follow his family's tradition of great chefs, starting his career as an apprentice in his father's restaurant. After training in some of London's finest French Restaurants, Manu moved to Australia in 1999 and built his reputation working in the kitchens in high end Restaurants across Sydney where he eventually went on to open establishments of his own. His commitment to fine dining and French cuisine has been recognised through multiple awards. Today Manu is one of the most popular and celebrated chefs in Australia and acts as host and judge on Seven's My Kitchen Rules Australia. Fans of Manu will have the opportunity to meet him at the Beach Canteen, dine with him at Dine with the Stars on Feb 26 or participate in one of his Master Classes.
Chef Manal Al Alem 
The "Queen of the Arabian Kitchen", Chef Manal Al Alem is a well-known and highly celebrated figure in Middle Eastern cooking. Over the years she has been using her talent and prominence in the field to educate and expand people's relationship with food and cooking, emphasising its relevance to one's own culture and heritage. She has done this through her television programmes and cook books which are filled with delicious and wholesome recipes delivered in a way that would make anyone entering the kitchen feel at home. Fans of Manal will have the opportunity to meet her at the Beach Canteen at the Fatafeat Kitchen, share dinner at Dine with the Stars on Feb 25 or participate in one of her Master Classes.
The Beach Canteen will be held on Kite Beach and the Master Classes at distinguished cookery school, Scafa in JLT
To buy tickets to the 'Dine With The Stars' gala dinner events at the Armani Pavilion and find out more information on all of Dubai Food Festival's schedule, visitwww.dubaifoodfestival.com

• Food and Dining
• Dubai