The organisers of Dubai Food Carnival, the biggest international food event in the UAE emirate, have announced the exciting line-up of local chefs taking part in the all-new Dubai Food Festival Academy next month.

Running from February 12 to 14 at Dubai International Marine Club, the festival combines the city’s best food, drink, entertainment and music at one, family-friendly venue. This year’s event returns with 80 food brands and 40 restaurants, many of which are new to both Dubai and the Carnival.

Another new concept for this year’s event is the featuring of seven renowned local chefs in an interactive, live cooking area hosting executive chef demonstrations, competitions for the public and a selection of ‘How to…’ sessions.

The Dubai Food Festival Academy will include exclusive appearances by:

• A trio of leading culinary stars from Jumeirah Restaurant Group Dubai: Ireneo Labao, chef de Cuisine of the noodle house; Oscar Rito, chef Patron of Tortuga Mexican Kitchen and Bar, Mina A’ Salam; and Lawrence Wells, executive chef and Pitmaster, Perry & Blackwelder’s Original Smokehouse, Souk Madinat Jumeirah
• Tyson Podolski, head chef at Prime 68 and Chef Amrish Sood, chef de Cuisine at the Rang Mahal, both located in the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
• Russell Impiazzi, Culinary director of Galeries Lafayette in Dubai Mall
• David Cagle, head chef for CHI Hospitality brands, St. Tropez Bistro and SoHo Grill
• Alex Ferris, executive sous chef at Jones the Grocer

In addition to the local chefs participating in the Dubai Food Festival Academy, the Carnival will also host six international celebrity masterchefs at its live-action Chefs’ Dome area including:

• British TV star and celebrity chef Simon Rimmer, who opened The Scene in Pier 7, Dubai Marina, earlier this year
• Indian-born and London-based chef Atul Kochhar, who counts Rang Mahal at Dubai’s five-star JW Marriott Marquis among his extensive network of international restaurants
• Celebrity TV star chef Silvena Rowe, who has three restaurants in Dubai: Omnia Gourmet, Omnia Blue and the brand-new flagship Omnia by Silvena in Downtown Dubai
• chef Manal Al-Alem, the ‘Queen of the Arabian Kitchen’
• Legendary Indian culinary maestro, Sanjeev Kapoor
• chef Tarek Ibrahim, the region’s undisputed ‘King of the Grill’

Dubai Food Carnival is open from 3 pm to 10 pm on February 12, and 12 pm to 10 pm on February 13 and 14. One-day tickets for the Dubai Food Carnival are available for Dh30 ($8) per person, while customers of the event’s Official Bank Partner, Emirates NBD, can take advantage of a DH10 ($2.7) discount. Children under the age of 12 can enter for free. All tickets are available from www.dubaifoodcarnival.com and Time Out Tickets (www.timeouttickets.com).  – TradeArabia News Service