JEDDAH: Chefs from around the world have been feeling the heat this week as they battle it out in a live cookery contest at Foodex Saudi.
The event, titled “Salon Culinaire 2022,” is being held as part of the annual trade exhibition for the food and drinks industry at the Jeddah Center for Forums and Events, which opened on Monday.
The contest is being organized by the World Association of Chefs’ Societies and the Saudi Arabian Chef Association.
The competition started on Tuesday and is open to professionals and amateur chefs, small food business owners and creative housewives.
It will be judged by nine professional chefs from around the world, including WACS President Thomas Gugler, SACA President Yasser Jad and Fabrice Danniel, vice director of culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
Chef Jad is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and has more than 17 years’ experience in quality control and food safety management. He has been a Salon Culinaire judge since 2009 and said the competition provided a platform for Saudi chefs to present their skills to the world.
“A lot of Saudis got good jobs after showing off their talents here,” he told Arab News. “We take the chefs out of their comfort zone and make them challenge themselves in a competitive environment. It is an opportunity to show off their talents and prove they are good.”
While most of the competition is based on creating edible dishes, one element includes making artificial items using colored foam and rubber. There are also tests for fruit, butter and chocolate carving, as well as baking cakes.
Aisha Anani, who owns a Saudi dessert brand called “La Tartelette,” is taking part in the plated desserts category.
She told Arab News that she was passionate about making tarts and food decoration.
“I will be making tres leches cake, pavlova and fruit tart. We are asked to decorate the dishes in the most creative, appealing way we can.”
An award ceremony will be held on Thursday where the best performers in each category will be awarded gold, silver and bronze medals. There are also certificates for those who miss out on the podium.
Foodex Saudi presents the latest innovations in the food and beverage sector and this year features 300 brands from 18 countries. It aims to attract more brands to the Saudi market by targeting investors from all food sectors and trades.