It was so exciting to hear the announcement a few days ago that this year’s Qatar International Food Festival was confirmed. Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar Airways announced that the sixth edition will be held at MIA Park from March 24 to the 28th.
The multi-cultural festival brings together fine dining with expert Chefs and local restaurants and hotels. As usual there will food stands from most of the famous Doha hotels and restaurants, such as W Doha, St. Regis and Sharq Village. There will be a focus on family-friendly activities (including children’s crafts) and there will be events held on the main stage including musical acts.
Last year 72,000 visitors enjoyed the Food Zones (International, Snack and Qatar-Brazil Zones), with food prices starting from as little as QR 5 and average mains priced at about QR 15 to 20. Famous Chef Ramzi Choueiri and Qatari Chef Aisha Al Tamimi were also doing cooking demonstrations in the Cooking Tent, with samples to taste at the end.
The standouts from last year had to be the freestyling pizza acrobats from Italy (please be here this year!) and the ‘Dinner In The Dhow’ cruise in the Watar Zone.
The best attraction had to be the ‘Dinner In The Sky’ restaurant concept which quite frankly sounds terrifying and amazing all at the same time. Diners and chefs are tethered to safety ropes and their dining table is winched up by a crane to 40m in the air, from where they enjoy a full course meal as prepared by their chefs.
QE is excited to attend it’s first QIFF especially as we recently attended the Dubai Food Festival (which is still running until the end of the month). It will also be interesting to see how the ‘Year of Culture’ link with Turkey will be used at the Festival, as last year the ‘Year of Culture’ Brazil was well represented as a theme at many events throughout the year.
More information will be revealed next month by the organisers and quite frankly we can’t wait!