Doha - MENA Herald: Qatar Airways, official co-host of the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) 22-28 March 2016, has announced a stellar line-up of celebrity chefs for the airline’s Cooking Theatre, a signature event for festival-goers. Due to the past popularity of the Qatar Airways Cooking Theatre, the award-winning airline is extending its entertainment beyond the Museum of Islamic Art Park, and will present creative culinary events for residents and visitors to Katara Cultural Village.
Presentations by headlining chefs including the global lifestyle personality Martha Stewart and restaurateur and Australian MasterChef judge George Calombaris, will excite food fans visiting QIFF this year. Qatar Airways’ exclusive on board chef, the multiple award-winning Vineet Bhatia, will once again create inspired cuisine for visitors to the airline’s live stage show. Returning to the festival from Canada, QIFF favourite and creator of Qatar Duty Free’s Soprafino Restaurant at Hamad International Airport, Chef Massimo Capra will also make appearances throughout the seven day event.
Four international Michelin star-rated talents complement the already exclusive line-up: palate-pleasing Japanese chef Tagaki Kazuo; Australian chef Paul Bentley; Bangkok legend Tim Butler; and celebrated pastry chef Jesus Escalera.
Additional talents include: Francisco Ruano, owner of one of the top five restaurants in Mexico and former chef at world-famous Noma Restaurant and a number of fabulous chefs from the Arabic food channel Fatafeat; Daad Abu Jaber; Salma Soleiman and Mohamad Orfali. Hamad International Airport, partner of FC Bayern Munich, has secured the football club’s head chef Alfons Schuhbeck to participate in the Qatar Airways Cooking Theatre and fans can look forward to learning about the team’s food favourites.
Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Marketing and Corporate Communications, Ms. Salam Al Shawa, said: “Qatar Airways is inviting festival-goers to take a global food journey at this year’s QIFF, courtesy of the most-talented chefs, who will inspire them with flavours that transport them to all corners of the world. The hundreds of thousands of visitors and food fans that enjoy the ever-popular Qatar Airways Cooking Theatre and the chefs’ entertaining demonstrations will be spoilt for choice by the fantastic array of national and international chefs performing.
“QIFF presents an opportunity for Qatar to celebrate its culture through mouth-watering tastes and to welcome visitors with the renowned Qatari hospitality. As the national airline, Qatar Airways is pleased to be a part of this important event, which enables us to bring people together through a shared love of travel and food, and to express our appreciation to the local community.”
Rashed Al Qurese, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at QTA, said: “Hosting celebrity chefs from around the world is one of QIFF’s unique attributes, allowing our visitors to witness up close the various skills and special ingredients that go into so many popular international dishes. We would like to thank our partners at Qatar Airways for making these appearances possible and look forward to welcoming the participating culinary stars.”
Children will enjoy the presence of the much-loved Kidzmondo characters who will be appearing at a variety of festival activities throughout the week.
The festival, co-organised by the Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar Airways, will offer visitors an exciting programme of new experiences designed for the whole family at Katara Cultural Village and The Pearl, as well as the airline’s signature Cooking Theatre and Dinner in the Sky events at the Museum of Islamic Arts Park.
The guest chefs will be performing cooking demonstrations throughout the week-long festival; the full timetable will be made available online in coming weeks.