Expo Dubai presents Rising Flavours dining room with some of the Gulf's top chefs and best flavours
Dubai World Expo 2020 offers a new culinary experience for visitors, with the Rising Flavours Food Hall, inspired by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, shedding light on the region's cultures and their unique take on international cuisine.
The three-storey dining room highlights the variety and creativity of the Gulf region's vibrant and ever-evolving food scene and serves as a celebration of the incredible flavours and talents born or nurtured in the GCC.
Conceived by industry figures from the region, the ground floor houses a regularly rotating line-up of culinary pods, with chefs and restaurants showcasing the gastronomic variety of each GCC country, including concepts from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The line-up includes celebrity chef Douha Abdullah al-Otaishan, Saudi Arabia's first female executive chef; UAE-based pastry chef Carmen Rueda, known for her unique approach to creating pastries; Bahraini restaurateur Roaya Saleh, known for Villa Mamas, one of Manama's most renowned restaurants; Omani celebrity chef Nader al-Aisari; Qatar-based Lebanese chef Mohamad Najem; Kuwait's Khaled al-Baker, creator of the Meem Café and Roto concepts; Hattem Mattar, the Arab world's first pit master; Emirati Musabbeh al-Kaabi, a Dubai-based celebrity judge known for his modern approach to Emirati cuisine; Turkish chef and concept creator Zulfikar Cambaz, chef de cuisine at BABA, Westin Mina Seyahi, a restaurant focusing on Ottoman cuisine; Jhon Faver, chef de cuisine at El Sur, a Spanish restaurant at Westin Mina Seyahi; and Jay Williams, winner of Hotelier Middle East's Executive Chef of the Year 2020.
Galal Abdellatif, director of food and beverage at Expo 2020 Dubai, noted that "one of the best ways to discover a country is to sample its cuisine, and at Expo 2020 visitors will be able to eat their way around the world without leaving the UAE". "GCC countries are presenting exciting and innovative concepts, allowing guests to sample what their countries have to offer and learn more about Middle Eastern cultures," he explained.
The first-floor restaurant is a licensed, full-service fine dining restaurant that houses a chef's table and a theatrical cooking show. Diners can expect to savour dishes such as ahi tuna; red snapper tagine, courgette and saffron risotto; baked puff pastry stuffed with veal, mushrooms and tomatoes served with yoghurt sauce; and prawn and piquillo pepper croquettes and parsley aioli.
The walls of the room serve as a space where GCC artists can display their artwork, while diners will be serenaded by live performances from regional talent, with traditional and modern Gulf sounds, as well as guest DJ mixes.
Reservations can be made at www.expo2020dubai.com/en/plan-your-visit/where-to-eat
Expo 2020 has invited countries from around the world to showcase their national dishes, giving visitors the opportunity to sample traditional and speciality food from around the world, with over 200 food and beverage outlets serving over 50 cuisines across the site.
Text, video and photos: Expo Dubai 2020