ExpoCulinaire 2024 is set to cook up a perfect storm within the region’s hotel, restaurant, café and catering industry as the country’s finest culinary fair will get under way at Expo Centre Sharjah tomorrow, Monday, May 20. The event is open to trade professionals only.

Featuring more than 200 companies and brands representing some of the leading regional and global hospitality names, the three-day event will witness the participation of more than 3,500 chefs from around the world.

Organised by Purple Kitchen Events in association with Emirates Culinary Guild and World Chefs, ExpoCulinaire promises three exciting days of activities for chefs, pastry chefs, bakers, cooks, students and other professionals from the HoReCasector.

“The Salon and Trade Exhibition complement each other.  We know that Chefs won’t buy before they try and our exhibitors have direct access to these chefs in abundance – the decision-makers who can experience firsthand their products on display” commented Joanne Cook, CEO of Purple Kitchen Events.

“ExpoCulinaire will ensure that the plate is always full for every visitor and participant during all the three days of the event. First, you have a highly focused B2B event that caters to the A to Z requirements of the food service and hospitality industry. Then, you have a dedicated platform that offers insights into several aspects of the sector, including safety, sanitation, ingredients, flavours and cooking techniques etc. Besides, it will also provide an opportunity to test your skills by offering a chance to take part in some of the industry’s top-billed competitions,” said H.E. Saif Mohamed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah.

As in the past years, the key attractions at ExpoCulinaire will include a series of competitions for chefs, including the largest single-entry chef competition in the world — the 27th Emirates International Salon Culinaire organised by Emirates Culinary Guild. With over 900 entries and counting, attendees can expect to witness culinary mastery on an unprecedented scale.  Competitors are expected from the UAE, Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka, India, Iran, Iraq, Denmark, Pakistan, and China.

Andy Cuthbert, President of the Emirates Culinary Guild, said “At this year’s Salon Culinaire, we’re shattering records with over 900 entries and counting. We fully expect to break another record and reach 600 individual competitors from various regions, all set to showcase their culinary prowess next month.”

Another key activity includes the 4^thAlen Thong Golden Coffee Pot Challenge, an international team event organized by Emirates Culinary Guild.

ExpoCulinaire has been growing consistently, and this time it will see the launch of several key activities that will add to its list of attractions and value-additions. Making its debut at ExpoCulinaire 2024, the Artisan Bakery Arena will position itself as the only stand-alone baking competition in the Middle East. The Arena will host nine international teams, embracing a back-to-basics approach where competitors will utilize only primary ingredients – water, flour, salt, and yeast – eschewing all types of additives.

As part of its endeavour to foster connections and empower culinary talent, ExpoCulinaire will also launch a new platform – Foodverse, the world’s first AI-enabled community in food. It will be an engaging and interactive app where chefs, enthusiasts, and industry representatives seamlessly network, promote, collaborate, share knowledge, foster learning, and help find jobs.

Student chefs and HoReCa professionals can also take advantage of live demonstrations and training sessions at Expert Demos, featuring top professionals from the HoReCa industry who will share invaluable insights, strategies and practical experiences along with engaging interactive sessions.

At the Education Zone, over 30 hours of live demonstrations will be presented in association with five renowned international culinary academies and institutes showcasing latest products and techniques.

The event will also feature the ICCA Live Studio, a culinary hub for exclusive interviews and live broadcasts, organised by a team from International Centre for Culinary Arts, Dubai and hosted by Joanne Cook

The event will run from 20^th to 22^nd May and has a strict entry policy for food service professionals only.