FOOD SURPRISES TO OFFER OVER 150 CULINARY & ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS (Dubai)

16 June 2002

The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) announced a comprehensive calendar of events and activities to kick off the Dubai Summer Surprises’ first theme Food Surprises (20th to 26th June) during a press conference at the Dubai Cruise Terminal today (June 16th).

“We are pleased to report that the DTCM in conjunction with the private sector in Dubai has organized more than 150 food and entertainment activities and events during the week-long Food Surprises,” said DTCM Manager Heritage Sites and Events, Awadh Al Seghayer who is also Chairman of the Food Surprises Committee.

“As many as 28 hotels, ten leading shopping malls and our co-sponsors have joined hands with us to stage this fiesta once again demonstrating the effectiveness of teamwork,” remarked Mr. Al Seghayer.

“The success of the Food Surprises week organized by the DTCM in the last two years and our ability to orchestrate over 150 events during a week are possible largely because of the benefits that teamwork between the public and private sector can bring i.e. better productivity, better quality and improved effectiveness,” added Mr. Al Seghayer.

Commenting on the DSS itself, Mr. Al Seghayer pointed out, “The DTCM has promoted DSS around the world at exhibitions and roadshows in key overseas markets and has backed up the event with an aggressive advertising campaign within the GCC market.” 

He also emphasized the ‘Dubai Fun For Free’ package organized by the DTCM that will run concurrently with the DSS with 61 hotels and 13 hotels apartments participating.

“All the participating properties will offer special net rates inclusive of service charge varying between $27 (AED100) and $136 (AED 500) per room night for hotels and between $27 & $204 (AED750) per room night for hotel apartments with special add on bonuses,” elaborated Mr. Al Seghayer.

The participating hotels will offer one night free for every three nights booked and the hotel apartments will offer one night free for every six nights booked. Only guests booking through travel agencies will be able to avail of these offers. “Our promotions will ensure that the emirate’s hotels maintain high occupancy even during the summer months,” Mr. Al Seghayer pointed out.

DTCM Deputy Manager Events, Marwan bin Beyat announced that the events and activities during the week could be broadly classified into two categories - food and entertainment. “The highlights of this Food Surprises will include a spectacular opening ceremony with a chefs guard of honor, a variety of cooking competitions and contests, an attempt at the record books once again with the longest vegetable sushi roll & a giant tower made from bread and a cake decoration competition with a difference - this time instead of the chefs - it will be the general managers of the leading hotels displaying their skills.”

“The grand finale with an international food village featuring delicious cuisine from around the world plus there will be live demonstrations with chefs from the emirate’s leading hotels displaying their cooking skills as well as carving techniques on fruits, vegetables,” remarked Mr. bin Beyat.

He noted that to inculcate healthy eating habits among children, a healthy food program would be conducted with details of the food pyramid during interactive edutainment sessions.

Each of the ten participating malls will have a centrally located kitchen that would be the focal point of all the food activities and there will also be a separate stage area for the fun & entertainment events inside each mall. 

Commenting on the entertainment events, Mr. bin Beyat said that cartoon character Garfield would be flown in as the star performer to regale the kids and the hungry caterpillar, Chef Hairan & Crazy Jugglers to name a few will add to the excitement at the shopping malls. There will also be a lot of games, quizzes and competitions for the kids.

Popular events from last year will be repeated including the pizza-eating competition and the junior chef of the year competition.

“In all the fun and excitement, we have retained our sense of balance and have not forgotten the needy,” observed Mr. bin Beyat. “A special event - “Charity Cake” is being organized in conjunction with the hotels to raise money for charity - an essential element of a healthy and viable community and a long-standing tradition in the Arab world. We will donate money collected from the sale of cakes to the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Establishment.

Mr. bin Beyat also thanked the hoteliers and the ten shopping malls, as well as the co-sponsors Nestle, Abela, Philips and the Emirates Culinary Guild for their support and co-operation. “It is this team that has made the staging of over 150 events and activities a possibility,” he concluded.