Taste of Dubai Food Festival returns for 2024 from February 23 to 25

The City’s Biggest Food, Festival, Taste of Dubai is back. Image Credit: Supplied

Top UAE chefs, food from around the world, music, events and more - Dubai's biggest culinary festival, Taste of Dubai, is all set to return in February 2024.

The event will be held at Skydive Dubai from Friday, February 23 to 25 this year and will offer a wide range of food and beverage options from some of the city's most talented chefs and mixologists.

According to an official announcement, Taste of Dubai has partnered once again with Philips. This year's festival expects to draw in over 25,000 guests.

Guests can enjoy exclusive workshops with celebrity chefs, try food from pop-ups of 16 of the city's best restaurants, and groove to live music by numerous bands and DJs.

Top restaurants

According to the announcement, the first 13 restaurants have been confirmed as:

• Hutong

• Osteria Funkcoolio

• Sumosan

• Tàn Chá

• Maya by Chef Richard Sandoval

• Atrangi by Ritu Dalmia

• Jun’s

• Akira Back

• Torno Subito

• Indya by Vineet

• Rhodes W1

• Bushra by Buddha-Bar

• City Social

Each restaurant will specially curate a menu of three to five 'taster' size dishes, so guests can make their way across the impressive line-up, selecting their favourites as they go. With at least one vegetarian option and one kid-friendly dish at each restaurant, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Dishes can be purchased at the event by credit/debit card or with vouchers included in select ticket packages.

Celebrity chefs

Taste of Dubai also announced an all-star line-up of celebrity chefs participating this year.

• Gary Mehigan

• George Calombaris

• Matt Preston

• Kelvin Cheung

• Ritu Dalmia

• Jenny Morris

• Hattem Mattar

During multiple exclusive workshops hosted by celebrity chefs, guests can learn the best kitchen secrets, techniques, and insights directly from the experts.

All workshops are included for free with all event entry tickets. Sign-up for sessions will be first come, first served on the day of the event.

Cooking attractions

Key cooking features at the event include:

Philips Cook School

Get personal cooking advice and feedback directly from the pros at the Philips Cook School, where you can ask them how much salt they include in a pinch, how to properly quenelle a mousse, coddle an egg, and so much more!

Philips Cook School sessions will run throughout the weekend, where you can learn how to perfect a fun and flavourful chef-guided recipe, using Philips Kitchen Appliances including their top-of-the-line range of blenders, air fryers, food processors, kitchen machines and more. Plus, catch some of Dubai’s favourite radio hosts keeping the energy pumped up from day to night. Philips has also sponsored a special 'Mom & ME' session through the weekend, including kid-friendly recipes, guest chef and host and some incredible surprises from Philips.

Foodies can learn to cook from the top chefs at the Philips Cook School during the festival weekend Image Credit: Supplied

Waterfront Market BBQ School

The flame-fuelled hotspot of Taste, the Waterfront Market BBQ School will be a roaring riot of theatrics and feasting. Learn from the best pitmasters around about how to fire up the grill like a pro, and learn how to make a crowd-pleasing recipe that you can take home. All demonstrations will be using premium Weber grills.

Kibsons Mystery Box Challenge

Channel your inner creative chef as you partake in the Kibsons Mystery Box Challenge. Participants will be guided through a fun and flavourful recipe led by a pro chef, with fresh ingredients provided by Kibsons. Once the dishes are ready for tasting, the chef will judge and pick a winner to receive an exciting prize from Kibsons.

Artisan market

What better way to walk off a gourmet meal than with a little shopping? A market of artisan vendors and established brands will be selling their treats and trinkets, sampling their products and more! To keep the festival vibes pumping through the weekend, Taste of Dubai will feature multiple music pockets throughout the venue, each packed with everything from DJ’s to intimate acoustic sets.

Children’s activities

Children can keep busy all weekend in a ‘Mega Kids Zone’, which includes bouncy castles, kids cooking workshops and more. They will also have plenty of options, as all restaurants will serve a kid-friendly dishes too. Children 12 and under enter the festival for free.

Anju Chadda, Event Director and Founder of MENA Live Events said: "We are thrilled to be bringing back Taste of Dubai for the second year under MENA Live Events. Building on the success of our first edition of Taste of Dubai in 2023, we’ve worked meticulously to bring the brand to new heights, including a brand-new venue allowing for more restaurants, activations, exhibitors and more.”

Tickets and packages

Early Bird Tickets for Taste of Dubai in Partnership with Versuni and its Philips brand will be available from January 1, 2024, for purchase at Platinumlist.net.

There are a variety of ticket options to choose from, guests can tailor their experience to suit their preferences.

Packages:

General Admission

Includes: 1 day entry to the event, exclusive Taste cooking workshops.

Taster Package

Includes: 1 day entry to the event, 2 food vouchers, 2 drinks vouchers, exclusive Taste cooking workshops.

*Vouchers are distributed at the time of entry into the event.

VIP Package

Includes: 1 day entry to the event, 3 food vouchers, 3 drinks vouchers, access to the Taste VIP Lounge, exclusive Taste workshops.

*Vouchers are distributed at the time of entry into the event.

Early Bird

Early Bird Ticket prices have been announced, and will be on sale for a limited time before prices increase.