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Dear Fellow Members, Chefs, Ladies, and Gentlemen,
In this issue of Gulf Gourmet, we celebrate 20 years of promoting culinary excellence, innovation, creation, and skills building through the pages of our award-winning magazine. These 20 years have seen us showcase talent and global cuisines from across the world and right here at home in the UAE. As in the past, we will continue to celebrate, seek out new learnings, and share and promote Arabian hospitality at its best.
Congratulations, Gulf Gourmet! None of this would have been possible without our incredible members, partners, supporters whose belief in what we do has kept these pages alive. You all are the heart and soul of the Emirates Culinary Guild, thank you for your loyalty and passion. A special thank you also to the experts, chefs, and food enthusiasts who share their op-eds and insights with us; your voices give this magazine its richness. Behind every issue is a team responsible for production, layout, design, photography, and writing, thank you for your commitment. None of this exists without the support of everyone.
This issue is itself a unique tribute to Gulf Gourmet. Within these pages, you will find our very first cover, all the different covers across the years with their own stories, and special tributes on how far this journey has come.
Last month was also exciting. We had the honour of attending the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026 in Newport, Wales. The WACS conference was an excellent several-day experience, full of culinary inspiration, education, and networking amongst peers from across the world. Held every two years, it is always a wonderful ex
I am also pleased to share an exciting development for our culinary community. We are proud to announce Salon Classes 2026, a four-month culinary competition series presented in association with ICCA Dubai, Foodverse, and the Emirates Culinary Guild. The competition will take place on the last Tuesday of every month from June through September, creating another opportunity for chefs, bakers, pastry chefs, and culinary professionals across the UAE to showcase their skills and be part of our vibrant culinary community. For further information, please contact emiratesculinaryguild@gmail.com or log in to the Foodverse app at foodverse.io.
This issue also features two seasoned culinary leaders from the Dubai World Trade Centre. Culinary Director Chef Georg and Executive Chef Chef Eric have decades of experience and composed mastery that only comes from years at the top of their craft. These two remarkable chefs continue to inspire everyone around them.
Dive into our past issues at issuu. com/gulfgourmetmagazine and visit emiratesculinaryguild.net to stay updated on events and news. If you are not already following us on social media, come see what chefs around the world are creating and perhaps PRESIDENT’S STATION connect with someone who inspires you. Our inbox is always open, tell us what stories you want told and what you would love to see in a future issue. For anything events-related, reach us at emiratesculinaryguild@gmail.com.
The culinary world has changed enormously over these past 20 years. There is no gatekeeping. Kitchens that once guarded their secrets now open their doors. Chefs who once worked in silence now lead conversations on culture, sustainability, and the way the world eats. Ingredients once considered exotic are now celebrated on tables across the globe. Fusion, heritage, tradition, innovation, their amalgamation is our greatest creation. At the end of the day, it all comes back to one thing: our love for food. That is what will move this industry and this magazine forward. Always has. Always will. Congratulations to everyone who has been part of this remarkable adventure. The best, as they say, is yet to come.
Culinary regards,
Alan Orreal
