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Partners
Dear Fellow Members, Chefs, Ladies, and Gentlemen,
We have to start this month with something difficult. The Salon Culinaire will not be taking place this year. We know what that means to many of you. We know how many early mornings, how many failed attempts and rebuilt dishes, how many hours of stubborn practice go into preparing for that competition. The Salon is not just an event on a calendar. Having to step away from it this year hurts, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. But the pain of this news is not carried by chefs alone. The judges, the sponsors, and partners who commit resources long before a single dish is plated. The marshals who give up days on their feet to keep everything running with fairness and precision. The organizers and the entire team behind the scenes, who stay ready to sort logistics, manage schedules, and chase a hundred details that no one in the room ever sees. All of them were looking forward to it.
What makes it harder is that the world has been shifting in ways that none of us fully control, and sometimes those shifts land on things we love. We accept that. Acceptance is not defeat. It is the first honest step toward finding what comes next. We are also aware that last month's issue carried the full rules and guidelines for the Salon Culinaire, and many of you may have already started planning around them. We are sorry for that. If you have any questions or need any clarity, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly at emiratesculinaryguild@gmail.com.
The UAE has responded to this period the way it tends to respond to hard moments, with a grounded calm. The leadership here has built something over decades that shows up in the people, a sense that things will be handled, that no one faces difficulty completely alone. Within the Guild specifically, what we have seen has moved us. Chefs reaching out to each other. Older members make time for younger ones without being asked. People sharing opportunities, sharing knowledge, sharing a meal. Community is one of those words that can start to feel hollow when used too often. But what we are describing is that, in hard times, this culinary community has brought people closer together.
Moving forward to the silver lining. This issue features inspirational stories of people who have faced pressure and come out more fully themselves on the other side. We have Chef Soul AbouZahr, who has built one of the Gulf's most recognizable culinary voices, captivated television audiences, and broken barriers to achieve her culinary dream. Then there is Chef Saman, whose wisdom does not come from a book; it comes from decades in the industry.
For the Arla Pro Pastry Mastery Competition this month, we feature Chef Harsha Priyankar of the Dubai World Trade Center, who brings us a chocolate raspberry creation that is as precise in technique as it is beautiful in finish. PRESIDENT’S STATION And then our op-eds and industry insights section, this issue brings together some of the most honest voices we have had in these pages in a while. These are people thinking carefully about where this industry is, what it needs, and what each of us can do about it. We think you will find yourself underlining things.
To our partners and members … Thank You! That is not a formality. In a period when pulling back would have been the easier choice, you stayed present. You kept conversations going, showed up for events, and continued to back the work this Guild does. We do not take that lightly, and we will not forget it.
Speaking of showing up, the March Guild Meeting at the DWTC was one of those evenings that showed us why all of this matters. The room was full. We are not alone in this. That feeling is worth more right now than almost anything else we can offer each other.
We invite you to explore past issues https://issuu.com/gulfgourmetmagazine and emiratesculinaryguild.net to stay updated on events and news. If you have not already, follow us on social media to see what chefs around the world are creating, and perhaps connect with someone who inspires you. As always, if there is something you would like to see in a future issue, send us an email. Let us know what matters to you, what stories you want told, and what lessons you have learned along the way. If you have any questions about the events, please reach out to us at emiratesculinaryguild@gmail.com
Hold each other close this month. Cook well. And know that this culinary community, which is your community, is not going anywhere.
Culinary regards,
Alan Orreal
