Expo 2020 Dubai is serving up a new culinary experience for visitors with its Rising Flavours Food Hall. Inspired by the countries of the GCC, the hall shines a bright light on the region’s various cultures.
The three-story dining hall showcases the range and creativity of the Gulf region’s vibrant and evolving food scene, serving as a celebration of the incredible flavors and talent born or nurtured in the GCC.
Conceived by industry figureheads from the region, the ground floor is home to a rotating line-up of culinary pods, featuring chefs and restaurants that demonstrate the gastronomic variety of each GCC country, including concepts from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The cast 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, celebrated for Villa Mamas, one of Manama’s most recognized restaurants; Omani celebrity chef Nader Al Aisari; Qatar-based Lebanese chef Mohamad Najem; Kuwait’s Khaled Al Baker, creator of concepts Meem Café and Roto; Hattem Mattar, the Arab world’s first pitmaster; Emirati Musabbeh Al Kaabi, a Dubai 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 focused on Ottoman cuisine; Jhon Faver, chef de cuisine at El Sur, Spanish restaurant at Westin Mina Seyahi; and Jay Williams, winner of Hotelier Middle East Executive Chef of 2020.
Galal Abdellatif, director, food and beverage, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “One of the best ways to discover a country is by sampling its cuisine, and at Expo 2020, visitors will be able to eat their way around the world without leaving the UAE. The GCC countries are presenting exciting and innovative concepts, allowing guests to taste what their countries have to offer and learn more about Middle Eastern cultures.”
The first-floor restaurant is a licensed, full-service fine-dining restaurant that hosts a chef’s table and a theatrical cooking show. Diners can expect to savor dishes to savor dishes such as ahi tuna; red snapper tagine, zucchini and saffron risotto; oven baked filo pastry filled with beef, mushrooms and tomatoes served with yoghurt sauce, and shrimp and piquillo pepper croquettes and parsley aioli.
The hall’s walls serve as a space where GCC artists can showcase their artworks, while diners will be serenaded by live performances from regional talent, featuring traditional and modern sounds from the Gulf as well as guest DJ mixes.
Expo 2020 has invited countries from around the world to showcase their national dishes, giving visitors the chance to taste traditional and specialized food from around the globe, with more than 200 food and beverage outlets serving up 50-plus cuisines across the site.
