Gulfood 2021: Here’s all you need to know

Gulfood, the annual F&B trade exhibition will return to the UAE this year from February 21-25.

The first live, in-person F&B industry event of 2021, Gulfood will be held across 20 exhibition halls at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), convening stakeholders from all over the world for five days of dialogue, live demonstrations and business deals.

The 26th edition of Gulfood will host 2,500 companies from 85 countries, who will participate to seek new collaborations and partnerships. This year’s event will also showcase its first blockchain-based dairy exhibitor courtesy of French technology innovator Ingredia, while the world’s 8th largest dairy company, Amul will also participate.

The Gulfood Innovation Summit also returns from February 22 – 24, convening the world’s chefs, food scientists, government officials and industry leaders, discussing the future form of food and gastronomy.

Stars on-stage
Chefs, authors and F&B decision-makers will share their experiences, projects, and creativity at the show’s ‘Chef Talks Stage’ in Hall 8 from February 21-24. This year’s line-up includes UK media personality Heather Mills, founder of the plant-based vegan food company VBites, who takes to the Chef Talks Stage at 1pm on February 21.

Meanwhile, James Knight-Pacheco, host of the ‘Chef JKP Podcast’, executive chef at ME Dubai in Zaha Hadid’s Opus; and chef Tarek Ibrahim, the first Arab MasterChef, will host sessions on February 21 and 23.

Also, Italy’s 3-star Michelin Star chef Norbert Niederkofler will deliver a session titled ‘Fine Cuisine with Ingredients from the Wilderness’, while Gal Ben-Moshe, the third Israeli chef to be awarded a Michelin Star, will explore ‘Chefs Without Borders and Beyond Recipes’.

On day two of Chef Talks is the ‘Launching of the Gulfood Chef’s Club’, where 30 top UAE chefs will collectively create a bespoke menu live at the event. Meanwhile, Gulfood visitors will get the opportunity to try out Dubai’s best eateries with pop-up restaurants from Zuma, Boca and Roberto’s appearing over the event’s duration.

First in Food Workshops
Gulfood’s First in Food Workshops learning sessions to be held on February 21, 23 and 24 in Hall 2, will offer insights into the future of F&B. This year’s programme features live sessions on topics ranging from food safety and innovation to sustainable dining, food safety and F&B design.

Greg Ohannessian, founding partner of Soma Mater, a consultancy firm focusing on building sustainability in the GCC’s food, water and energy nexus, will deliver a 60-minute session on sustainable dining alongside Roha Daud, a food and wellness brand consultant and the founder of Cause’ Kitchn.

The programme will also include workshops devoted to kosher certification, taking professionals through levels of certification for the food production and service sectors, and processes and opportunities in the international kosher industry with Rabbi Joel Weinberger, head of India, South Asia operation at the US-based Star-K Kosher certification agency.

Masterclasses with celebrities
Some 31 renowned culinary creators, including five Michelin Star chefs from Germany, Italy and Portugal will take part in activations including masterclasses, acrobatic pizza, pastry art, and the secrets of the flour kitchen at Gulfood’s ‘Tastes of the World’, which will take place in Hall 8 across five days.

Taking part in the ‘Creative Cuisines’ experience – which is an interactive platform designed for Michelin starred chefs to explain their cuisine philosophy through a signature dish – are Norbet Niederkofler (3 Michelin Stars), whose restaurant St Hurbertus sits at the base of Italy’s Dolomites and is famed for only using ingredients produced in the Italian mountain range; Marco Sacco, the man behind Piccolo Lago – the restaurant perched over Italy’s Lake Mergazzo; Germany’s René Frank, head chef and co-owner of Berlin’s CODA, the world’s first dessert restaurant to receive 2 Michelin Stars; Portugal’s Rui Silvestre and Israel’s Gal Ben-Moshe, whose Berlin restaurant Prism was awarded a Michelin Star in 2020.

Highlight sessions include the ultimate commercial kitchen technology; the best plant-based meat fish and dairy free alternatives; a 3D printed plant-based meat – a new vision for a sustainable F&B industry from Israel; zero waste sustainable fine dining and a signature dish from one of the Dubai’s top chefs.

Gulfood Innovation Awards
This year’s Gulfood Innovation Awards will celebrate and reward excellence across brands and products. This year’s 10 competing categories will be judged by a panel of industry leaders, vetting 250 global entries received from 44 countries.

International Culinary League
At the Gulfood International Culinary League, four global teams led by chefs will create culinary delights. Team Asia will be headed by Zuma’s Pawel Kazawnosky, Europe’s charge marshalled by Bernardo Palladini of Torno Subito by Bottura. America will compete with chef James Knight-Pacheco, and Middle East and Africa with captain Mohamad Chabchoul.

UAE National Brewers Cup Championship
Gulfood will host the UAE National Brewers Cup Championship from February 21-24 in Za’abeel Hall 6, an annual contest to discover the champion of hand brewing filter coffee. Over two rounds, competitors will prepare and serve three individual beverages to a judging panel.

Business and safety
Gulfood 2021 will be held under stringent safety and hygiene protocols. Wearing of masks is mandatory, with social distancing in place to ensure the wellbeing of all delegates. On-site registration will not be available; registration must be completed in advance via www.gulfood.com

Exhibitors must provide hand sanitiser to visitors before the food sampling commences in a designated area within the exhibition stand. Live cooking demonstrations are permitted, however, food must be served on individual plates and food is to be consumed at the stand.

All live cooking demonstrations must observe two metres social distancing.