Taste of HK – The F1 of chef competitions in UAE
Taste of HK 2025, UAE’s premier Black Box Culinary Competition, concluded its 2nd season on October 15, 2025, at Zero Gravity Dubai, bringing together the region’s top hotels, catering companies, and culinary professionals for a day of creativity, passion, and skill.
Organized by HK Food Group, led by its frozen food distribution arm HK enterprises along with gourmet distribution division HK Gourmet, Taste of HK honors the spirit of UAE’s HORECA sector. Mr. Harwant Sahni Chairman of the HK Enterprises, the company that hosts this annual event said “with the vision to celebrate food & those who make it possible, this is the only event that brings chefs, culinary teams and food innovators who shape the UAE’s dynamic dining landscape all under one roof.
Celebration of Culinary Mastery
This year’s edition featured 12 elite teams from across the UAE’s hospitality industry, including renowned names such as Emirates Flight Catering, Le Meridien Dubai, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, Conrad Abu Dhabi, Zero Gravity, Anantara The Palm, Radisson Blu Dubai, Intercat Hospitality, Alpha Catering (Sharjah Airport), Abela & Co, Pullman Deira, and Zero Gravity who were also hosting the event.
Each team competed in a thrilling Black Box Challenge, creating a four-course meal with an identical ingredient list — appetizer, starter, main course, and dessert, from mystery ingredients revealed on the spot. The dishes were judged on creativity, taste, presentation, and innovation. The heat, challenge & the rush was real, like the Masterchef shows seen on television. Teams had only a few hours to redo their menu & serve 200+ guests who happened to be the some of the top F&B stakeholders of UAE.
Sneak peek into the menu
- Cold starter utilizing USAPEEC Duck & Lee Kum Kee Sauces as below
- Hot appetizer utilizing NAT Chicken griller & Cancao Chicken thigh two different preparations on the plate & Lee Kum Kee Sauces as below
- Main course utilizing Fletcher Lamb rack & Lamb shank two different preparations on the plate & Lee Kum Kee Sauces as below
- Dessert utilizing Fruit Layer ingredients passion fruit and mango
- 2 Lee Kum Kee sauces to be used Chiu chow Chili sauce and Light Soy sauce mandatory in any two of the courses, and 2 optional ones, dark soy and sesame oil can be used if wanted
Winners Who Went the Extra Mile & Stole the Spotlight (this can come in pictures with sponsor brand mentions)
It was extremely difficult for the judges to choose a winner, especially when such top teams participated but there were few who went the extra mile.
- Movenpick JLT won the champions trophy
- Runner up was INTERCAT hospitality
- Best Kitchen team was taken by the defending champions EKFC
- Best Service team Movenpick JLT
- Young chef award was Aakash Pundir from Zero Gravity
- The golden duck award powered by USAPEEC was Anantara the Palm
- Best Table décor powered by DUNI was given to Anantara the Palm
Proud Partners who made it possible
Taste of HK 2025 was powered by 10 partner brands from around the world, representing the finest in poultry, sauces, oils, and desserts — hosted by HK Enterprises & HK Gourmet, powered by USAPEEC, supported by Lee Kum Kee sauces, Nat chicken grillers, Cancao Chicken thighs & Fletcher premium Australian lamb. Their products were featured as core ingredients in the competition, while their presence across the event space from chef stations to branding zones reinforced the essential role of supplier partnerships in the success of the UAE’s hospitality ecosystem.
The event was hosted at the vibrant Zero Gravity Dubai, which not only competed this year but also served as the official venue partner, offering a stunning seaside backdrop to the competition.
Important links to view
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPx7KTVAvj_/
