The biggest-ever Emirates International Salon Culinaire awaits visitors at the upcoming Gulfood, a leading food, drink, foodservice and hospitality equipment exhibition, in Dubai.

The Emirates International Salon Culinaire 2008 – organised by the Emirates Culinary Guild, the UAE’s association of professional chefs – is a four-day culinary extravaganza that includes seminars, competitions, and demonstrations for chefs.

Gulfood and the Emirates International Salon Culinaire, to be held from February 24-27, are strictly trade-only events and open to business and trade visitors from within the industry only, said a top official.

The event will inspire trade visitors and exhibitors alike with cookery demonstrations; live cooking competitions; ice carving demonstrations; buffet and banqueting showpieces; pastry and sugar set pieces; and bakery and confectionery innovations.

Helal Saeed Al Marri, director general, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of Gulfood, said: “Since its inception more than two decades ago, Salon Culinaire has been a key component of the exhibition.  In 2008, the event will bring together more than 1,000 culinary experts from around the world to compete for top honours in what has become the highlight of our annual event.”

Showcasing some of the industry’s best talent, these exciting competitions will expose aspiring chefs to some of the most cutting edge techniques, while giving them the opportunity to win coveted awards.

“Salon Culinaire 2008 is set to be our best and biggest-ever, with Emirates Culinary Guild members playing an increasingly active role,” said Allen Thong, co-ordinator, The Emirates Culinary Guild and World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS) Assistant Director – Africa & Middle East.

The Emirates Culinary Guild, is a member of WACS, the governing body of the 52-nation alliance of chef’s associations worldwide. All of the 25 international judges at Emirates International Salon Culinaire 2008 will be WACS approved and will include renowned chefs from within the industry such as Alan Palmer from Switzerland, Axell Ruhmann from Germany, Gissur Gudmundsonn from Iceland and Huber Oberhollenzer from Itlay.-TradeArabia News Service