Gourmet is a strange word. Outside the culinary world of restaurant critics and the financially privileged, its meaning is a little vague. Originally coined in France, a gourmet was the title given to anyone involved in the tasting and selling of wine. At other points in its etymology, it was used as a synonym for gluttony. These days we tend to associate it with high class cooking, but since most of us rarely get anywhere near quality cuisine, few people have any idea what it really is.
For visitors to the emirate, all that is about to change. Between February 5 and 14, Abu Dhabi is promised a festival of almost Caligulan proportions, celebrating gourmet in its many and varied forms and welcoming a galaxy of Michelin stars the likes of which have not been seen since the calorie was criminalised. The organisers have described it as ‘a 10-day culinary journey’; ‘a festival of epicurean delights’, and the lineup of masterchefs flying in to take over the city’s kitchens certainly looks like they’ve got the talent to deliver.
The participants represent the truly international spectacle that gourmet cooking has become. Sharing 24 Michelin stars between them, the maestri include Heinz Beck (La Pergola, Rome), Atul Kochhar (Benares, London), Santi Santamaria (Can Fabes, Catalonia), Charlie Trotter (Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago), Alain Passard (L’Arpège, Paris) and many more besides. Representing the female face of this strangely male-dominated world is Annie Féolde (Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence), the first lady of the Italian kitchen. It’s an impressive array of top-flight talent, and an event that you might normally associate with culinary capitals such as Tokyo or Paris. So why Abu Dhabi?
Peter Knipp, a leading member of the organizing committee, says that the grandeur of the city is perfectly suited to hosting this event. ‘Gourmet Abu Dhabi will marry culture and cuisine perfectly by showcasing the city’s advanced modernisation set against its rich heritage,’ he explains. In addition, he hopes this ‘festival of food art’ will inspire the local and regional hospitality industry to greater things – undoubtedly good news for anyone who likes a bit of pampering.
A sense of industry elitism is unavoidable with an event of this nature. Isn’t gourmet strictly for the great and the good? Is there any room at the table for the little people? Knipp counters this attitude by pointing out that the festival is open to anyone, and that it hopes to encourage the local community ‘to celebrate their own culinary heritage and engage in sharing it with a wider audience.’ Certainly, the chefs represent a large cross-section of Abu Dhabi’s expatriate community, meaning that there should be something for every visitor to get behind. Meanwhile, in the absence of any prominent Emirati chefs, the hosts have organised a ‘Middle Eastern gourmet safari’, which Knipp describes as, ‘something the culinary community on international, regional and local levels, will relish.’
So, what does a ten-day food festival entail, exactly? Well, for starters, it’s not all eating. As we write, the chefs are busy drawing up menus for 13 separate venues across the city, while distilling their wisdom into a series of master classes that will make up the educational backbone of this extravaganza. Ever wondered why your Indian efforts taste more like mud than masala? Atul Kochhar will be on hand with insider tips. Don’t know your farfalle from your farfallone? Have a word in Madame Féolde’s ear (hint: it’s all about the size of your bow-tie, apparently). The fun is turned up to eleven when the TV celebrities arrive. Ian Wright (no, not the Arsenal legend) drops in to chat about his popular Globe Trekker series, and you can expect the gourmet equivalent of Beatlemania when rugged Aussie superchef Curtis Stone unleashes a tsunami of raw sex appeal. Let’s hope the capital can withstand it.
Elsewhere, you can partake in what Peter Knipp describes as ‘visions of chocolate feasting in the future’, when Oriol Balagur – a pastry chef par excellence – shows us why his have been voted the best desserts in the world. On a similar note, the organisers have promised to unveil ‘a world where everything is made of chocolate.’ Thank goodness it’s not the summer.
With gala dinners, royal lunches, and the all-important Gourmet Stars Awards (in which industry professionals and the public alike can vote for their favourite aspects of the Abu Dhabi dining scene), the inaugural Gourmet Abu Dhabi looks like being an open event for anyone willing to leave their microwave dinner at home. Since that includes just about all of us, this has the potential to become a genuinely interactive occasion that will provide food for thought for years to come.
Who, what, where and when: Time Out picks the festival highlights
Feb 5
Gala Reception: The stars of the event receive the red carpet treatment, with a gala meal prepared by the hosting chefs.
Emirates Palace, 6pm
Feb 6
An evening with Ian Wright: The Globe Trekker settles in for a cosy chat.
Le Royal Méridien, 7pm
Feb 7
Gourmet Safari: The mega-chefs combine their awesome powers for an evening of exoticism and epicurean adventure.
Shangri-La, 6:30pm
Feb 8
Dinner with Alvaro Palacios & Santi Santamaria: The bad boy of Spanish cooking takes no prisoners.
Shangri-La, 8pm
Feb 9
Dinner with Heinz Beck: Arguably the most respected chef at Gourmet Abu Dhabi, book early for this feast.
Hilton Abu Dhabi, 7pm
Feb 11
Dinner with Tenuta San Guido & Annie Féolde: Rustic Italian cuisine, the way Mamma made it (only better).
Emirates Palace, 8pm.
Feb 11
Lock up your daughters: it’s Curtis Stone!
Shangri-La, 7pm
Feb 13
Chocolate Feasting: Introducing a world of chocolate – surely what the future’s made of.
Armed Forces Officers Club, 10am
Feb 14
Arabian Feast: The festival closes, appropriately, celebrating the host nation’s cuisine.
Armed Forces Officers Club, 7pm
For a full list of events, times, venues and prices, head to www.timeoutabudhabi.com/restaurant. For ticketing information, call 04 367 6520
