QIFF 2015: Sign up for innovative Qatari Culinary Course

Calling all professional Chefs here in Doha! Be prepared to be spoilt by the organisers of QIFF 2015 as they host a free culinary workshop for chefs.

The 2-hour course will be taught by renowned Gulf region Chefs Aisha Al Tamimi and Fawaz Al Omaim, who will be sharing their culinary expertise to their fellow chefs at Qatar Airways’ Live Cooking Theatre during QIFF 2015.

Chef Aisha is considered to be the ‘Queen of Qatari cuisine’ and has published many cookbooks focusing on the culinary traditions of Gulf cuisine. She has also found the time to host TV and radio programs and has had her articles published in Qatari newspapers. Her fellow co-teacher Chef Fawaz is another regional legend whose passion for cooking began whilst he was a student in Miami. He categorises himself unabashedly as a self-taught chef and enjoys trying new flavours and tastes, which has resulted in his own recipe invention within the Arab food heritage.

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) has worked hard to provide this innovative course for all hotel chefs within Qatar. It is hoped that the sharing of the region’s culinary heritage will encourage the attendees to utilise Qatari and Khaleeji cooking into their own dishes. It will also help to spread the word and knowledge about the region’s food legacy, and provide an international outlet for the traditions of Qatari cuisine.

The course will run throughout QIFF 2015 (from 24th-28th March) at MIA Park at 2-4pm every day. Hotels will be contacted by QTA and they will be able to send one chef as its representative, as well as any of its chefs on any other day of the festival. Chefs will be expected to wear their hotel-branded chef uniforms during the course. Make sure you contact your hotel management if you are interested in learning how to cook Qatari dishes. For more information contact industry@qatartourism.gov.qa.

Doha has a large population of chefs trained in international cuisine, and it is hoped that this course will help chefs become familiar and comfortable with Qatar’s rich food traditions. It is all part of a concerted effort by QTA to arrange events that will encourage hotels to highlight regional cuisine. QTA will later build upon this momentum by working with local hotels to include Qatari dishes, such as Machbous or Thereed, on their menus thus introducing the cuisine to international visitors.

For those non-professional chefs amongst us don’t worry there will also be live cooking demonstrations on all days of the QIFF, with free samples at the end!