SIAL ME - 2021

DECEMBER 2021

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

DEFINING INNOVATION IN THE FOOD, BEVERAGE & HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY www.wgmagazines.com

INSPIRE FOOD BUSINESS DEFINING INNOVATION IN THE FOOD, BEVERAGE & HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID)

The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) is established in 1976 as the only Pan-Arab financial institution with a paid-up capital of 729 million USD, and an independent legal entity to reinforce food security through mega agriculture and agro-industrial investments and development programs in favor small farmers in its 21 member countries.

As a joint Arab institution with a total cultivated areas of 297 thousand hectares and industrial lands around 8 million square meters, and more than 42 years of experience in the field of investment and agricultural development, AAAID’s implemented programs for small-scale farmers and producers in a number of Arab countries has achieved significant and notable results, in which the total funding is around 39.5 million USD, and the number of beneficiaries reached up to 333,310 thousand, while 3,540 thousand female farmers benefited from AAAID’s funding program for the rural woman.

AAAID currently contributes to the capital of 53 existing and under-establishment companies and projects in 12 Arab member countries, in which Sudan hosts 64% of AAAID's total investments, followed by Egypt 6%, UAE 5.5%, Oman 5.5%, Iraq 4%, KSA 3% and 12% in the remaining member states as per investment opportunities and relative advantages available to the region.

Contributing Countries:

As a result of AAAID’s affiliate companies’ intensive engagement in various food productions and processing such as dairy, meat, grains, sugar and oils, several sustainable models were created and implemented by AAAID with an aim of endorsing socio-economic development, increasing crop productivity and production, as well as contributing to environmental conservation; in which AAAID and its companies played a major part in producing biofuel and recycling agricultural waste. Additionally, AAAID also contributes to capacity building and skills improvement of Arab workforce by organizing training and programs for graduates of agricultural universities and small farmers.

AAAID’s objective of enhancing food security in the Arab world was achieved as its programs have helped reduce migration of young people from the countryside to the cities by ensuring optimal utilization of natural agricultural resources. During 2020, AAAID has organized a number of 18 development activities and programs, and supported around 3,500 female farmers across its member states by financing their agricultural projects through the various implemented programs.

UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH

NAHAYAN MABARAK AL NAHAYAN

MINISTER OF TOLERANCE AND COEXISTENCE CHAIRMAN OF KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR DATE PALM AND AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES

15 SESSION 2 TH

2023 ‫ﺗـﺮﺷـــﻴــﺢ اﻟـــﺪورة اﻟﺨﺎﻣﺴﺔ ﻋــﺸــﺮة‬

The Award Announces the Start of App • Application Period Runs: From 01 June - 31 December 2022 • The Winners Will be Announced: February 2023 • The Award Distribution Ceremony: March 2023

‫ﻓﺌﺔ اﻟﺸﺨﺼﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﺘﻤﻴﺰة ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﻣﺠﺎل اﻟﻨﺨﻴﻞ واﻟﺘﻤﺮ واﻻﺑﺘﻜﺎر اﻟﺰراﻋﻲ‬

‫ﻓﺌﺔ اﻻﺑﺘﻜﺎرات اﻟﺮاﺋﺪة واﻟﻤﺘﻄﻮرة‬ ‫ﻟﺨﺪﻣﺔ اﻟﻘﻄﺎع اﻟﺰراﻋﻲ‬

‫ن اﻟﻤﺘﻤﻴﺰون‬ ‫ﻟﻨﺨﻴﻞ واﻟﺘﻤﺮ‬

Influential Figure in the Field of Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation

Pioneering & Sophisticated Innovations Serving the Agricultural Sector

Distinguishe in Date Pa

‫ﻗﻴﻤﺔ اﻟﺠﺎﺋﺰة‬ Award money

‫ﻗﻴﻤﺔ اﻟﺠﺎﺋﺰة‬ Award money

AED 750,000

AED 750,000

‫اﻟﺠﺎﺋﺰة‬ Award

AED 75

In addition to a trophy carrying the winner’s name and a recognition certificate For Further Information , Please Contact: Coordination Office in Al Ain, Khalifa International Date Palm Award and Agricultural Innovation Tel.: 00971 3 7832434, P.O.Box: 82872 Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

info@kiaai.ae

www.kiaai.ae

@kiadpai

‫ﺗﺤﺖ رﻋﺎﻳﺔ‬

‫ﻣﻌﺎﻟﻲ اﻟﺸﻴﺦ ﻧﻬﻴﺎن ﻣﺒﺎرك آل ﻧﻬﻴﺎن‬ ‫وزﻳﺮ اﻟﺘﺴﺎﻣﺢ واﻟﺘﻌﺎﻳﺶ‬ ‫رﺋﻴﺲ ﻣﺠﻠﺲ أﻣﻨﺎء‬ ‫ﺟﺎﺋﺰة ﺧﻠﻴﻔﺔ اﻟﺪوﻟﻴﺔ ﻟﻨﺨﻴﻞ اﻟﺘﻤﺮ واﻻﺑﺘﻜﺎر اﻟﺰراﻋﻲ‬

2023 AWARDS

‫ﺗﻌﻠـﻦ اﻟﺠـﺎﺋـﺰة ﻋـﻦ ﺑــﺪء اﺳـــﺘـﻼم ﻃﻠﺒــﺎت ﺗ‬

plications for the fifteenth Session 2023

2022 ‫ ﺩﻳﺴﻤﺒﺮ‬31 – ‫ �ﻮﻧﻴﻮ‬01 : ‫• ﺗﻘﺪﻳﻢ ﻃﻠﺒﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﺮﺷﻴﺢ‬ 2023 ‫ ﻓﺒ�ﺍ�ﺮ‬: ‫• ﺇﻋﻼﻥ ﺃﺳﻤﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﻔﺎﺋ��ﻦ‬ 2023 ‫ ﻣﺎﺭﺱ‬: ‫• ﺣﻔﻞ ﺗﻜ��ﻢ ﺍﻟﻔﺎﺋ��ﻦ‬

‫ﻓﺌﺔ اﻟﻤﻨﺘﺠﻮن‬ ‫ﻓﻲ ﻗﻄﺎع اﻟ‬

ed Producers alm Sector

‫ﻗﻴﻤﺔ ا‬ money

50,000

: ‫ﻭﻓﻖ ﺍﻟﺒﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ ﺍﻟﺘﺎﻟﻲ‬

‫ﻓﺌﺔ اﻟﻤﺸﺎرﻳﻊ اﻟﺘﻨﻤﻮﻳﺔ‬ ‫وا ﻧﺘﺎﺟﻴﺔ اﻟﺮاﺋﺪة‬

‫ﻓﺌﺔ اﻟﺪراﺳﺎت اﻟﻤﺘﻤﻴﺰة‬ ‫واﻟﺘﻜﻨﻮﻟﻮﺟﻴﺎ اﻟﺤﺪﻳﺜﺔ‬

Distinguished Pioneering Development & Productive Projects

Distinguished Innovative Studies and Modern Technology

‫ﻗﻴﻤﺔ اﻟﺠﺎﺋﺰة‬ Award money

‫ﻗﻴﻤﺔ اﻟﺠﺎﺋﺰة‬ Award money

AED 1,000,000

AED 1,000,000

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Khalifa International Award

SUSTAINABLY SECURE FOOD FOR OUR PRESE AND FUTURE GENERA Maximize local farming produce, secure strategic reserve food items and provide access to safe, nutritious and high quality food at all times through harnessing leading capabilities and advanced technology.

Visit our stand December 7th till 9th, 2021 Stand: H5 - H26

E ENT ATIONS

SilalUAE

www.silal.ae

Seeding a Flourishing Tomorrow

The integrated trade, logistics and industrial hubs of Abu Dhabi Benefit from a strategic location, world-class infrastructure facilities, faster access to markets, low set-up and operational costs, flexibility in scale of operations and efficient investor support services.

www.kizad.ae www.zonescorp.com Call: 800 102030

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the launch dates of the 11th edition of SIAL Middle East have been announced. One of the Middle East’s largest food, beverage, and hospitality events, held concurrently with the Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition (ADDPE), SIAL ME will be launched from 7 – 9 December 2021 by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company.

Both exhibitions will bring significant levels of international participation from major specialised companies, decision makers, and global experts.

This year the exhibition will be the biggest edition since its launch in 2010 and the event organised by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) which will define innovation in the food, beverage and hospitality Industry.

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‫ﺣ ّﻴﺎﻛﻢ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ ﺟﻨﺎﺣﻨﺎ‬

‫‪MEET US AT‬‬

‫‪H-6B40‬‬

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

DEC

07 20 21

SPECIALITY COFFEE WITH CRISTOPHER DOMINGO PIZZA MASTER CHALLENGE PIZZA COMPETETION ACROBATIC PIZZA SHOW PASQUALINO BARBASSO MASTER CLASS WITH RABIH AL AARAJ AITENTIC NAPOLITAN PIZZA BY DOMENICO STRANIERI PIZZA MASTER CHALLENGE - PIZZA COMPETETION ACROBATIC PIZZA SHOW PASQUALINO BARBASSO PIZZA MASTER AWARDS MASTER CLASS WITH SIMONE FEDERICI MASTER CLASS WITH SHAMMI DE COSTA MASTER CLASS WITH RAHMAT HIDAYAT GRANA PADANO FOOD TASTING MUDDLE ME WITH CRISTOPHER DOMINGO ARTISANAL GELATO MASTER CLASS TASTING BUTTER IN FRENCH CUISINE MASTER CLASS WITH WALTER POTENZA

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‫اﻟﺮﻳﺎدة اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻷﻣﻦ اﻟﻐﺬاﺋﻲ‬ Global leadership in food security

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

MASTER CLASS WITH ALESSANDRO LUNARDI

DEC

SPECIALITY COFFEE MASTER CLASS CRISTOPHER DOMINGO

08 20 21

MASTER CLASS WITH DONNE SALAZAR BUTTER IN FRENCH CUISINE MASTER CLASS MASTER CLASS WITH MANISH PRASAD ACROBATIC PIZZA SHOW PASQUALINO BARBASSO MASTER CLASS WITH MICHELIN STARRED CHEF ANGELO LANTOS MASTER CLASS WITH ALESSANDRO LUNARDI MASTER CLASS WITH RABIH AL AARAJ MASTER CLASS WITH MICHELIN STARRED CHEF FAYCAL BETTIOUI MASTER CLASS WITH DONNE SALAZAR MASTER CLASS WITH AHMED A.AL-SHAYA MASTER CLASS WITH MICHELIN STARRED CHEF GAL BEN MOSHE ACROBATIC PIZZA SHOW PASQUALINO BARBASSO GRANA PADANO FOOD TASTING ORGANIC VEGETABLES MASTER CLASS CROSS ETHINC CUISINE MASTER CLASS BUTTER PAIRING MASTER CLASS

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7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

DEC

09 20 21

SPECIALITY COFFEE MASTER CLASS CRISTOPHER DOMINGO FRENCH CREAM MASTER CLASS UAE SUSTAINBLE EATING MASTER CLASS SARAH ARADI UAE SUSTAINBLE EATING MASTER CLASS LANA NASSER ACROBATIC PIZZA SHOW PASQUALINO BARBASSO UAE SUSTAINABLE EATING - CAMPAIGN PRESENTATION INTERVIEWS WITH THE PROTAGONIST UAE SUSTAINABLE EATING AWARDS GRANA PADANO FOOD TASTING FRENCH CREAM MASTER CLASS UAE SUSTAINBLE EATING MASTER CLASS ACROBATIC PIZZA SHOW PASQUALINO BARBASSO

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Editor Feature Editor Contributors

Fabian deCastro Maria Lourdes Michael Hepworth

FJMdesign WGkonnect Photography Consultant Creative Design Studio Publisher IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd.

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Identifying underprivileged children with culinary ambitions...

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©IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. Editorial material and opinions expressed in WG™ digital publication do not necessarily reflect the views of IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. WG™ and IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or errors and do not accept responsibility.

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Cover Image Credit: SIAL ABU DHABI All images are copyright SIAL Abu Dhabi

G Defining Innovation in the Food, Beverage & Hospitality Industry!

It is an honour for WG Magazine to be part of SIAL ME 2021, one of the Middle East’s largest food, beverage, and hospitality event. The 11th edition will feature incredible activities for all visitors and participants to enjoy - Hosted Buyer Program, UAE National Coffee Championships, SIAL Innovation, 2022 UAE National Latte Art Grading Battle and the inaugural World Gourmet Show – Abu Dhabi It is a passion for the finer things in life - a desire to live within the greatest expression of pleasure! This is truly a recipe for a spectacular time at SIAL ME. Be Safe, Stay Safe, Keep Healthy and Bon Appétit.

Fabian de Castro

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

SIAL MIDDLE EAST SET TO SHOWCASE INCREDIBLE FEATURES AND ACTIVITIES

U

nder the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), SIAL Middle East 2021 (SIAL ME) will return to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 7 to 9 December 2021.

Organised by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), SIAL ME is one of the Middle East’s largest food, beverage, and hospitality events. The 11th edition of the SIAL ME will feature incredible features and activities for all visitors and participants to enjoy. These include including ‘The Hosted Buyer Program’, UAE National Coffee Championships, SIAL Innovation, 2022 UAE National Latte Art Grading Battle and the inaugural World Gourmet Show – Abu Dhabi.

Businesspeople and exhibitors can look forward to participating in SIAL ME’s ‘The Hosted Buyer Program’, which seeks to foster and support supply chain partnerships. Offering a private dedicated suite, Hosted Buyers will be able to source new products, develop new business, and meet with a selected batch of exhibitors through a series of engaging sessions.

Foodies from all over the UAE and the region can enjoy the inaugural launch of the World Gourmet Show – Abu Dhabi, which will feature Michelin star chefs and the best chefs in the capital deliver masterclasses, exciting competitions and demonstrations, as well as a spectacular display from the World Champion acrobatic pizza

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performer. The show will also feature a hydroponic garden, liquid lab and pizza kitchen.

Coffee connoisseurs and enthusiasts can expect to watch the reprise of the UAE National Coffee Championships, which are certified by World Coffee Events (WCE) and sanctioned by the Specialty Coffee Association. Highlighting the meticulous craft of filter coffee brewing by hand, the UAE National Brewers Cup promotes the art of manual coffee brewing and baristas’ excellent levels of service, whereas the Cup Tasters Championship qualifies coffee cupper professionals for their speed, skill and accuracy.

Latte fanatics can enjoy the best baristas in the region battle it out at the 2022 UAE National Latte Art Grading Battle. Participants will compete for industry acclaim, amazing prizes, and gain the opportunity to represent the UAE at the World Latte Art Grading Battle in Milan in October next year.

The latest and greatest in food and beverage innovation will be on display at SIAL Innovation.

The event’s unique platform for the world’s most creative and inventive products is open exclusively for exhibitors and judged by XTC World Innovation.

The most novel products in the foodservice, retail and food industry will be awarded the innovation award and gain the opportunity to be displayed at SIAL events worldwide.

Co-located alongside the sixth edition of the Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition (ADDPE).

The event specialises in date fruit, machineries, organic dates, cosmetics from dates, Date Tree, curing insects and date plants.

THE HOSTED BUYER PROGRAM Recognising the importance of fostering and supporting supply chain partnerships, SIAL ME created The Hosted Buyer Program with the purpose of sourcing new products, meeting with suppliers and developing new business.

The program is a private dedicated suite that enables Hosted Buyers to meet with a selected batch of exhibitors, allowing them to develop strategic partnerships with the supply chain through a series of engaging sessions.

In 2019, the program saw the 5,000+ introductions and meetings take place between exhibitors and hosted buyers.

By signing up to the program, participants will be among the first to see new products launches and have the chance to network with top international food industry professionals in addition to many other benefits.

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7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

THE NATIONAL BREWERS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP WThe National Brewers Cup Championship highlights the craft of filter coffee brewing by hand, promoting manual coffee brewing and service excellence.

In this Championship, competitors prepare and serve three individual beverages for a panel of judges. The Championship consists of two rounds: a first round and a finals round. During the first round competitors complete two coffee services – a compulsory service and an open service. For the compulsory service, competitors prepare three beverages utilizing whole bean coffee provided to them by the competition. For the open service, competitors may utilize any whole bean coffee of their choosing and must also accompany their beverage preparation with a presentation.

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ABU DHABI DATE PALM EXHIBITION Co-located alongside SIAL ME is the Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition (ADDPE). The only event of its kind for the date fruit in the world, ADDPE will see more than 80 local and international exhibitors and experts from the dates sectors come together for the sixth edition.

The event specialises in date fruit, machineries, organic dates, cosmetics from dates, Date Tree, curing insects and date plants.

This year’s edition of the Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition will also see the “Dates Machinery Feature” displaying different type of dates sorters machines and related equipment.

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SIAL INNOVATION Recognising that investment in innovation is the way forward into the future, SIAL Innovation is a platform that seeks to showcase the world’s most creative and inventive products granting visitors the opportunity to gain insights into the upcoming trends in the food and beverage sector.

Open exclusively for exhibitors and judged by XTC World Innovation, SIAL Innovation provides an excellent opportunity to display novel products to thousands of attendees.

A part of the SIAL’s global programme, the innovation award is only for newly introduced food and beverage products. The winning product will be displayed at all SIAL events worldwide.

Whether for foodservice, retail or the food industry, SIAL Middle East will be bringing the world’s innovative products to a display area on the exhibition floor once again this December.

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©GAL BEN MOSHE

©ANGELOS LANTOS

©FAYCAL BETTIOUI

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

WORLD GOURMET SHOW Featuring Michelin star chefs, the best chefs in the capital, and more, the 11th edition of SIAL ME will witness the launch of the inaugural World Gourmet Show - Abu Dhabi.

Visitors to SIAL ME can expect masterclasses from the maestros and can even go head-to-head to win incredible prizes.

From 7-9 December, the World Champion acrobatic pizza performer will display his spectacular skills live on each day of the show.

The event will take place within the bespoke World Gourmet Show kitchen, which features a hydroponic garden, liquid lab and pizza kitchen.

The hydroponic garden offers visitors valuable insights into the world of hydroponics, which is the form of gardening with water and nutrients instead of soil.

The Master of Pizza kitchen will teach participants how to create pizzas with pizazz through it series of masterclasses, food tasting and competitions.

Impressive mocktails and coffee can be found at the bar of the future. With refreshing and creative drinks, all can unwind and enjoy the Liquid Lab. With 7 hours of shows each day, masterclasses, demonstrations, and competitions – there is so much to do at the World Gourmet Show – Abu Dhabi!

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LuluGoodnessForever

ANGELOS LANTOS

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

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Raised in Messolonghi (Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece), until four, Angelos Lantos attended school and received his formal culinary training at Chef d’ Oeuvre School of Gastronomy, in Athens. His took up his first job as a waiter and he settled into his calling immediately, at a time when being a chef meant being just another cook; nothing glamorous about it.

Angelos blends old cooking techniques with modern gastronomy tools, this two Michelin star Greek chef embraces traditional and modern cuisine to innovate with a purpose.

He perpetually redefines the classics, enriching it with new approaches, with bold combinations of fresh, living, rare ingredients and original ideas. Smells of the forest, aromas of smoked wood, Greek olive oil, as he gives an unmistakably earthy tone to his no-frills dishes, and often the outcome of months of research and experimentation. To him food is pleasure, memory, social interaction, communication, and culture. He knows well the history of his materials and he is in constant search for the best goods and growers in the farmers market two-three a week and wild game recipes are his forte.

Having worked for some of Greece’s most renowned restaurants, he apprenticed with the likes of Christos Tzieras, Herve Pronzato and Arnaud Bignon. Undoubtedly possessing the knowledge of the art of French cooking, Angelos has been unfolding his unrivalled creativity at “Spondi”, AthensGreece’s iconic French cuisine restaurant, a member of Les Grandes Tables du Monde, the first Greek Relais & Châteaux restaurant, regularly awarded with the Greek Toque d’ Or. Humble and polite, Angelos feels that haute cuisine is not about impressing; it is about enriching gastronomy. Premium ingredients equal incredible food. A strong believer in restaurants growing their own produce, whether it’s a roof top garden or operating their own farms, he is always in the quest of the best possible raw material for his tasty dishes.

Elegance in execution, broad culinary expertise, variety of textures and eye-catching plating cover all five senses and make his take authentic.

FAYCAL BETTIOUI

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

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A Casablanca native, whose passion for cooking has made him one of the few Moroccan chefs to ever earn a Michelin star as well as the only Moroccan to currently hold this title in Europe. His culinary interests started when at 14, as he grew up in a family of foodies but his cooking skills were taken to another level when he moved to the United States to study. In 2001 and after graduating high school, the young man left Casablanca for Florida. The same year he enrolled in college to major in computer science and ended up switching fields to take up biology with the intention of going to medical school.

While in college, Faycal’s passion for cooking came about when he started working in different restaurants to start paying for his school tuition fees. Graduating from university, Faycal decided not to go to medical school but to pursue his love for cooking and embarked on a mission to learn techniques and better his skills to being a chef which took him to some of the best kitchens in Miami and New York, including Thomas Keller’s NYC restaurant Per Se. After his experience in the US, Faycal had a choice between Casablanca and Germany, he ended up in Neupotz, Germany where he opened his restaurant Zur Krone in 2015, and four years later was awarded with a Michelin star.

GAL BEN MOSHE

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

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Growing up in Tel Aviv, Israel, Gal grew up on eclectic food; this allowed him to be open-minded and accept creativity in food. At 15, his parents separated, and he had to finance himself, he worked as a fishmonger since both his parents were bankrupt. Two years later, he started working at Mul Yam, a French fine dining restaurant in Tel Aviv.

Being disappointed at 21 with how fine dining restaurants in Israel precieved creativity, he moved to London where he worked with Jason Atherton and Marcus Wareing. Two and a half years later, Gal returned to Israel to manage the kitchens of Hotel Montefiore but was met with the same fate of being disappointed. He then moved to Chicago where he worked at Alinea for six months, and in 2012, he moved to Berlin and opened GLASS Restaurant.

Since his cuisine is not grounded in traditions, Gal does not make any pretense of authenticity. His menus are inspired by ingredients that each season brings from the terroir of Levante and tries to combine these unique ingredients of the region by turning them into modern fine dining without leaning on the classical ways of treating these ingredients.

And he takes them in a new direction by creating a new culinary language. introduction into a new culture or bridging two rival cultures. I believe, sit them at a table with good food and things fix themselves.

PASQUALINI BARBASSO

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

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a man with a mission to make high quality Italian pizza and to do it in the most entertaining way. Indeed, this pizzaiolo is among the most skilful masters of acrobatic pizza-making, in the last decade, Pasqualino has travelled around the world offering his stunning performances to enhance the quality and the good taste of Italian pizza made according to true Italian traditions.

Born behind a pizza counter and grew up in the family restaurant, Pasqualino’s career started at the family pizzeria, Il Falco Azzuro, in Cammarata, the Sicilian province of Agrigento, where he still works when he’s not travelling. He underwent formal pizza-making training only at a later stage, because, the profession of high quality Italian pizza-making is something that one cannot learn only in an empirical way. In 1997, he set out as a professional pizza chef but was not convinced about his professional skills of “Pizzaiolo”.

He then attended several bakery and pizza courses where he learnt the most varied techniques of fermentation and then decided to dive into the world of acrobatic pizza. In 1998, he won the Sicily’s Acrobatic Pizza championship.

By 2001, he was World Champion, a title that he won in 2002 for a second time. Since then, he has made dozens of appearances in Italian restaurants and pizzerias around the world; and has held the Guinness World Records for the largest pizza spun for two minutes.

LANA NASSER

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

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A holistic chef and a certified health coach, Lana Nasser believes that we should take our health back by making incremental lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results. She focuses on sustainable way of eating that is cantered around nutrition, movement, mind-set and spiritual connection. Her goal is to empower people to create healthy nourishing habits, balance their lives and live to their fullest potential.

Lana has been in the food industry for over 20 years. After graduating from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, Lana worked at Anisa, a Michelin-Starred restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village. She then worked as sous chef at Above and Beyond, a dynamic high end catering company in Boston. When she moved back to the United Arab Emirates, she decided to open her own catering company, Partiperfect, that was focused on wholesome ingredients and a farm to table concept. For her efforts to bring local produce to the Emirati table, Lana was named Brand Ambassador for Local Harvest, the umbrella organization that promotes local produce in the UAE. After the pandemic, Lana shifted her focus towards combining her IIN health coach certification with her passion for cooking and leading a healthful lifestyle. Today she empowers her clients by teaching and coaching them on the importance of sourcing sustainable and organic ingredients, reducing the consumption of processed foods and integrating more plant based meals in their diet.

SARAH ARADI 56

The year was 1993 when a young Sarah Aradi landed in Dubai. All she had with was $500 and a zest for a better life. She remembers the old Dubai with fewer people around and the strong sense of community that existed.

Sarah loved to cook her authentic Ethiopian cuisine and it was when her friends loved the food and she opened her first Al Habasha restaurant in Deira, Dubai in 1999 and later the second in the Frij Murar area. To put together the capital for her business, she started exporting VHS tapes of Indian films to Ethiopia as there was a huge demand for Bollywood movies. After VHS phased out, she exported CDs, mobile phones, branded sunglasses etc.

Eventually, the Ethiopian community grew and number of restaurants kept growing and today Sara has nine restaurants, spread across the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaima. And it is not just the Ethiopians who come for their fix but the local Emiratis and other expats who have developed a taste for this spicy cuisine.

When she looks back at her journey of nearly three decades, she takes pride in being a successful entrepreneur in the UAE. Coming to Dubai as a single woman, starting with a mere 500 dollars and now owner of nine restaurants. The UAE might be her second home but she considers it her native country.

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Born and brought up India, Manish Prasad constantly travelled into Northern countries to enjoy the diverse cuisines and restaurant options available there. This helped him to develop an interest and passion for cooking and finally he took a decision to becoming a chef 12 years ago. For Manish, cooking is like painting or writing a song, as there are so many notes or colours, there are so many flavours - it’s how you combine them that set you apart.

His culinary philosophy is a unique blend of creative flair and passion for food since childhood. In 2016, he took on the role as executive chef of Lite Bite Foods (Punjab Grill) where he hosted master chef cookery classes in Bangalore and organized the “Home Chef Cooking Competition in the city. At Punjab Grill, he organized different kinds of food festivals and cooking competitions.

His kitchen is a microcosm of The Kitchen where we all live, learn, and enjoy. It’s where values interact with daily lives. It’s where actions speak much louder than our words, more vividly than pictures. In 2018, Manish received the National Level Chef’s award and the India Chef award, this was one of his biggest achievements - the muse behind his cooking, the energy in his writing, the engagement in his teaching, and believes that he can change the world from his dinner plate. His emphasis on seasonal flavours has allowed him to mix one cuisine with another to make up a fusion dish, where flavours and spices give a perfect blending to the dish. The most interesting part of his cuisine is that it is plated in a very colourful way which attracts ones taste buds.

MANISH PRASAD 57

SHAMMI DE COSTA

Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Shammi De Costa completed his primary education in Sri Lanka. Memories of growing up in Sri Lanka with his cousins and friends were wonderful.

After his primary education in Sri Lanka, he moved to Italy with his parents. Growing up in Italy exposed him to a different lifestyle and he learnt Italian as a second language.

He completed his higher education and apprenticeship in Rome and life in Rome was the best foundation he received and made him what he is today.

Cooking has always been his passion. Though he didn’t have any family background related to cooking, he always loved it and studied culinary in Italy and Singapore while doing several internships between standalone restaurants and hotels. Shammi started from the scratch as a commis and life wasn’t easy in the early stages. In Italy, he worked for Bistros, Cafes and high end restaurants; and remembers the time he had to peel kilos of artichokes where my fingers would bleed at one point, or the time where a head chef would scream and throw plates around the kitchen when a kitchen staff messed up the job. It was harsh but very instrumental for one’s future career. Late nights, long hours, smoking were part of the job too. After his initial culinary studies and apprenticeship In Italy, he moved to Singapore for further studies while working at Mandarin Oriental and Shangri-La Singapore. Once he graduated, he got the opportunity to join Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort in Malaysia as a junior sous chef. It was a good opportunity for him to put his theoretical knowledge into practice. From there he joined Atlantis the Palm Dubai’s pre-opening team as a sous chef. After setting-up and opening in Dubai, he got an opportunity to join the pre-opening team of Shangri-La Maldives as chef de cuisine, where he stepped up his career to a higher management role. After four years in the Maldives, he moved to Abu Dhabi with Traders Hotel Qarayt Al Beri Abu Dhabi as the executive sous chef. He then moved to Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort in Oman and then moved to Traders Hotel Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi.

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021

Raised in Indonesia, Rahmat Hidayat started his cooking at the age of 12 for the family and use to invite neighbors to his small house parties. His hobby at the time was playing with kitchen utensils and his parents were about their sons hobby that made them enroll him at Tourism, Hotel and Culinary academy - STIEPAR YAPARI AKTRIPA BANDUNG, Indonesia.

This multi cuisine chef trained in French, Italian, Pan Asian, Indonesian and American Cuisine, started his career in 1994 as a banquet server, bar server and bartender at a hotel in Bandung, Indonesia, He felt that the kitchen was more of a calling and decided to change the career as a cook, for two years Rahmat worked as a cook in a hotel and realized, that he really need to sharpen his culinary skills in various multi-nations cuisines. In 1999, he took up a position as a tournant and section head on a cruise line. Year to year, he has gained knowledge of different cuisines and with nearly 28 years of experience Rahmat takes on the role as executive chef with leading the hotel/restaurant culinary with different concepts and cuisines. In 2005, he landed in Dubai working with Wafi Hospitality in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, he then returned to Indonesia and spent four years as an executive chef at the Rancamaya Hotel- golf Bogor. In 2016, he returned back to Abu Dhabi to run a brand and in 2020 he transferred to Snowbell Company as a brand chef and in-charge of operations of Mings Chamber.

RAHMAT HIDAYAT 59

Samira Maatouk Group owns a collection of brands which service the coffee needs of

retail and café consumers, foodservice and business customers across the globe. Based in the UAE, the Group can trace its heritage back to 1949 when the Founder opened his first business in Lebanon.

The Group owns coffee roasting facilities in UAE and has over 30 branches across Middle East.

PRODUCT RANGE

Turkish Coffee ∙ Espresso Beans and Filter Coffees ∙ Tea ∙ Premium Chocolates ∙ Gourmet foods ∙ Coffee machines

Arabic Coffee

Contact us for: Foodservice Retail Distribution Franchise Private Label

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maisonsamiramaatoukme M26 Musaffah Industrial Area

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maisonsamiramaatoukuae

info@samiramaatoukgroup.com

PO Box 111477, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

www.samiramaatoukgroup.com

SIMONE FEDERICI 62

Having set foot for the first time in a professional kitchen at age 13, Simone Federic realized his passion and continued the culinary path under the tutelage of Antonia, his grandmother. Four years later, he was awarded and recognized as one of the top three best young chefs of Italy.

During his studies in culinary management, Simone gained his first experience with some of the best restaurants in Italy before graduating and venturing towards the Caribbean, Miami and in Abu Dhabi. Within four years in the UAE, he successfully developed and managed the iconic Mare Mare Restaurant at Saadiyat Island.

With a passion to create something unique, Simone decided to pursue his own concept combining his acquired professional skills together with the cooking philosophies and of course original recipes taught by his grandmother. And that’s how Antonia Restaurant was born.

GUEST CHEFS

SPECIALTY COFFEE ARTISANAL GELATO PIZZA COMPETITION MASTER CLASS

7- 9 DECEMBER 2021 MEDIA PARTNER

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