Everything To Look Forward To At Taste Of Dubai

Taste of Dubai is fast approaching, so we think it’s high time you start anticipating all the delightful bites you are going to fill up on at the festival! Each restaurant pop-up is offering a specially curated selection of 3-5 ‘taster’ dishes, so there will be plenty to try as you make your way around the festival grounds.

Look out for signature dishes and exclusive Taste dishes at each restaurant's stand, along with kid-friendly dishes to keep the fussier family members happy as well. Dishes start at AED25, meaning you can do the rounds and munch your way through some of the best and brightest of Dubai’s culinary scene, all with change for dessert. Put it in your calendar: from February 14th - 16th, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre is the place to be!

Restaurants

A foodie's dream come true, it's not often you can stroll around in the sun, sampling dishes from all your favourite restaurants, all stone's throw from each other! It's once a year in fact, and we love Taste of Dubai for making this dream a reality! So who is joining the ranks this year? 16 big names, including:

• MAYA BY CHEF RICHARD SANDOVAL (Mexican)
• LENA (2.0 Smokehouse and Andalusian flavours)
• OSTERIA FUNKCOOLIO (Itameshi - Italian-Japanese)
• DEMON DUCK (Chinese and Pan-Asian)
• GOLDFISH SUSHI & YAKITORI (Japanese)
• INDYA BY VINEET (Indian)
• CITY SOCIAL (Modern European cuisine influenced by Japanese flavours)
• RHODES W1 (Modern European and British cuisine)
• MOTI MAHAL (North Indian, Mughlai)
• LUSH BURGER (Smashing burgers!)
• HARUMMANIS (Singaporean Malay)
• MISS LILY'S (Caribbean-inspired, primarily Jamaican)

Chefs & Workshops

Across 3 days of workshops hosted by celebrity chefs, you’ll enjoy a peek behind the curtain at the best kitchen secrets, techniques, and insights directly from the experts. Passionate foodies and home cooks alike will enjoy getting up close with some of the industry’s big hitters, so be sure to book in, try some new recipes, shape up in front of the BBQ and hone your skills!

Some of our favourites from Taste of Abu Dhabi are back in town, as well as some fab new faces as well:

• José Pizarro
• Marco Pierre White
• Eric Lanlard
• Cameron Lamb
• Jenny Morris
• Fred Casagrande
• Alvin Leung
• Dani García
• Annabel Karmel
• Akmal Anuar
• Hattem Mattar
• Andrew Dickens
• Joseph Nesbitt-Larking
• Tarek Ibrahim

Catch these culinary icons in action throughout the festival at three different stages and interactive cooking schools! 

BLACK+DECKER COOK SCHOOL

Get hands-on in the BLACK+DECKER Cook School, where you’ll be guided by a professional chef through the creation of mouth-watering recipes. From delectable desserts to sophisticated appetizers, every session is a chance to learn and enjoy. Plus, you get to eat your creation after!

TASTE  FIREPIT

The Taste Firepit is the festival’s sizzling centre piece, where renowned pitmasters will show you how to fire up the grill like a pro. Master the art of grilling and leave with delicious recipes to try at home, all using premium Exit 10 BBQ equipment for that perfect smoky finish. Make sure you catch Fred Casagrande here - he was a huge highlight for us at Taste of Abu Dhabi!

TASTE CHEFS HUB

At the Taste Chefs Hub, unleash your creativity in culinary workshops and get up close and personal with the chefs. It’s your chance to ask all your culinary questions, and pick up their kitchen secrets as you prepare a dish to impress.

Live Music

Dubai comes alive as we make the most of the winter weather, and the music offering at Taste of Dubai will really sweeten the deal. Whether you’re chasing the latest beats, or prefer chilled throwback acoustics, you’ll be toe tapping from day to night across 2 different music zones across the grounds as well as the VIP lounge.

With 7 acts announced so far, we’re glad to see Truly Medley Deeply return for an encore - they had the crowd up and dancing non-stop last year! DJs Big Rossi, Remix Rich and Andy Swift are joining Truly Medley Deeply, Pianoman Ryan Gibb, Salha and the Million Dollar Trio and The Nomads to keep you moving and shaking all weekend long.

What Else?

All this festival-going is thirsty work, so for over 21s, make sure to stop by one of the 6 bars on site and enjoy a beverage!

You won’t just leave with a full belly: enjoy free samples, artisanal goodies, and plenty of stalls and vendors to peruse! The Taste Artisan Market will showcase some of the best local brands and up-and-comers in the UAE, with artisanal products, tastings and unique treats on offer.

Dibba Bay Oyster Shuck-Off‍

Fan favourites throughout the Emirates at many a restaurant and brunch, Dibba Bay Oysters are making their return to Taste of Dubai, with the Dibba Bay Oyster Shuck Off back for its 4th iteration!

Enjoy thrilling shucking competitions as pro chefs from around the country battle it out to be crowned the Shucking Master 2025, or try your hand at this tricky skill and participate in the amateur shuck off to win some exciting prizes (and bragging rights)! Expert-led masterclasses on oyster and beverage pairings might be more your speed, plus you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to shuck oysters like a pro and get practicing for next year's competiton.

Celebrity chefs will be cooking up exclusive dishes featuring Dibba Bay’s famous oysters: served fresh, grilled and more, it’s an oyster lover’s paradise!

Little Chefs

For budding chefs, Taste of Dubai offers dedicated kids’ workshops at the BLACK+DECKER Cook School, where little ones can learn the basics of cooking and pick up some yummy, healthy recipes under the guidance of celebrity cookbook author Annabel Karmel.

Plus, every participating restaurant will feature a dedicated kid-friendly dish to keep the little ones happy. And best of all, children under 12 enter for free - it's the perfect family day out!

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Advance tickets for Taste of Dubai are now on sale at Platinumlist.net. With a variety of ticket options to choose from, guests can tailor their experience to suit their preferences and ensure they don't miss out on this extraordinary event.

Packages:

• General Admission (includes 1-day entry to the event, exclusive Taste workshops)
• Taster Package (includes 1 day entry to the event, 2 food vouchers, 2 drinks vouchers, and exclusive Taste workshops)
• VIP Package (includes 1 day entry to the event, 3 food vouchers, 3 drinks vouchers, access to the VIP Lounge, and exclusive Taste workshops)

Early Bird ticket prices:

• General Admission: AED75
• Taster Package: AED180
• VIP Package: AED325
• Sunday VIP Brunch Package: AED375
• Children under 12 go free

Tickets can be purchased here. Secure your tickets before the price increase on February 14th.

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New for 2025: Friday Work Social Packages
Looking for a unique team outing or a fresh take on your business lunch? Taste of Dubai’s brand new Friday Work Social packages offer the perfect solution! Designed for groups of 10 or more, enjoy fast-track event entry before 3PM, two food vouchers per person, VIP lounge access, and the option to add two drink vouchers per person. Packages start from AED130 per person—an easy and delicious way to spice up your Friday!

For more information, email marketing@mena-events.com

Taste of Dubai runs from February 14th-16th at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre.

For more information and to stay updated on event details, visit https://tasteofdubaifestival.com/

And for a taste of what to expect, check out all the fun we had at Taste of Abu Dhabi in November - it's always one of our favourite days in the Abu Dhabi calendar!

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