Global Food Festival kicks off

The major Global Food Festival (GFF 2013) kicked off in Riyadh yesterday under the auspices of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).
The two-week event, held for the third year, was inaugurated with a colorful opening and a variety of popular Arabic and intercontinental dishes served at the Riyadh Golf Courses in freezing temperature Wednesday evening. A number of foreign ambassadors attended the festival, including Syed Omar Al-Saggaf of Malaysia, Li Chengwen of China and Bertrand Besancenot of France.
The cold weather, however, did not dampen the spirits or appetites of the attendees, which was evident from the large crowd present on the opening day. They braved the chill to savor the culinary delights from the far corners of the world served by several restaurants, which pitched in with their own cuisine to tempt the connoisseurs on the occasion.
The highlights of the festival, besides mouth-watering dishes, were the local and international traditional dances, making the night a memorable event marked by entertainment that brought joy, fun and enthusiasm to the massive crowd, which remained hooked on entertainment, while the guests enjoyed the finger-licking dishes.
The dances included a Saudi traditional sword dance, a Spanish dance, a Palestinian dabke (folk dance), and an Indian popular dance performed by children. The Lebanese dabke was the center of attraction.
The hotels and their restaurants that are participating in the festival showcase local, regional and international cuisine and produce — from cheese, coffee, chocolates and smoked meats to fruit and vegetables.
Ambassador Al-Saggaf said the Malaysian dishes were meant to familiarize Saudi visitors and residents with Malaysian food habits. He added that Malaysian cuisine is known to Saudis and many Arabs, as they travel as tourists in large numbers to his country throughout the year.
The festival will run through Jan. 31. About 12 grand hotels in Riyadh are participating in the festival, such as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel with Chinese cuisine, Intercontinental Hotel with Saudi cuisine, Four Seasons Hotel with Asian cuisine, and Radisson Blu Hotel with Moroccan cuisine.
The festival has attracted a number of international chefs. Several entertainment shows for companies, families and individuals have also been launched.
The food festival is targeting all nationals. Besides promoting domestic tourism, these kinds of programs provide job opportunities for Saudis, help boost the national economy and open up new avenues for other countries to tap the vibrant Saudi market for their own food products, said a statement by the SCTA.
The festival also hosts a group of productive families, women and girls, who enjoy making their products directly in front of the visitors and get the benefit of selling their products made of wool and fabric, such as hand bags and dresses, besides the traditional stuff.
The Global Food Festival has been organized by the Heights Agency, while Al-Youm Chicken and Lurpak are the major sponsors of the event. The Saudi Research and Publishing Company, parent company of Arab News, is a sub-sponsor.