Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organiser of the Gulfood and GulfHostevents, is pleased to announce the regional finalists of Gulfood YouthX, a culinary competition aimed at aspiring young chefs working in some of the region’s most iconic hotels and restaurants.

Ten teams of three went head to head in a ‘Culinary Casting’ qualifier round at the prestigious International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) in Dubai, preparing a three-course menu which took into consideration the competition’s key themes of ‘sustainability’ and ‘zero waste’. In addition to the presentation and taste, the team’s choice and utilisation of ingredients, and their vision for the menu was judged by a jury comprised of leading industry experts.

The four teams picked to go through the regional finals at GulfHost next month were:

• Burj Al Arab;
• Sofitel The Obelisk;
• Jumeirah Al Qasr; and
• Grosvenor House.

The regional finals, which will be free to attend, will take place on November 9 at GulfHost, where the teams stand a chance to win AED 100,000 worth of prizes, including a cash prize for each chef.

The five-month competition will culminate in the international finale at Gulfood in February 2023, with the prize of a one-week internship at an international 3-Michelin star restaurant for the lucky winning team.

Organised in partnership with the International Centre for Culinary Arts, Gulfood YouthX is the first-of-its-kind launchpad organised by the world’s largest F&B sourcing event, and is set to empower promising, young F&B talent with a career-changing experience.