So it’s 2016, times have definitely changed since 1996 when we would watch a daily cooking show featuring that one chef on that one channel, some would record it beforehand and document it after, others would jot everything down with an end result of gibberish on paper, but with a recipe at hand. Whichever method the 80’s and 90’s generation used, it worked for them then but oh how times have changed! I’ve got five words for you: the bombardment of social media. So imagine this, a photo/video based social media platform, delicious food posts, new restaurant reviews, excellent vacation spots and good people to top it off all in one account.

There is an abundance of accounts circling the social media platforms promoting various ideas all based on providing sufficient entertainment posts for the different genres that make up society. So when combining the love of travel, food, family values and just simple entertainment, you can easily find Aidoadviser. The brainchild of Mohammed Al-Alaidarous, he first started his travel log and food blog through twitter and progressed with the progression of social media, finding the best and most used in the region, that being Instagram and Snapchat as of recent studies. Through his keen eye, the choice of posts are diverse but followers of his page and various accounts will notice that food is a continuously repeated concept.

“Many think that I love food and am a foodie, on the contrary, I’m one extremely picky eater and my wife can testify for that! My health condition doesn’t make it easy either but I do love and appreciate food. I look at the method of preparation, the innovative ideas, the effort put into creating a dish and every single touch added to one dish shows off the restaurant’s signature and if it was a personal effort, it would be clear that I’m dealing with an insightful individual that also has a deep appreciation for good food,” said Al-Alaidarous.

With that in mind, Aidofood festival was created. Snapchat is its main platform, friends of friends of friends, etc. spread the word and the idea grabbed attention of many and followers tuned in to watch Saudis and Arabs from all around the world present to their viewers their signature dishes. The first three festivals revolved around the impression “yes you can,” meaning, no matter where you are around the world, it is possible to cook whatever it is your appetite craves for. There was Almasa’s Maglooba from Al-Khalil Palestine, Bader Al-Gain’s amazing barbecue skills in Ohio, USA, from Beijing, China there was Rayan cooking Zorobyan even with a side of duggus salad, bint Al-Madina and her Bukhari rice, and who can forget Ahmad’s molokheya from neighboring Egypt.

After the success of the first three festivals, the clock was ticking to create a new concept for the next festival, something significant and new. Aidofood festival junior was the next project in the making, an idea that grew from a simple comment from a very smart and young source.

“Aidofood Junior festival came to be after my son Hashim suggested we go ahead and feature kids after the success of the first three food festivals. He reminded me that there are many kids following the account and they’re able to compete at the same level as of the adults. This really got me thinking and after discussing it with my partners, we decided as a team to go ahead and advertise it, select and evaluate the quality of work by these youngsters,” said Aido.

The selection was determined by several factors. Of course, given that Snapchat is a video-based phone app, the user needs to have the ability to create his or her dishes and record them in a smart way, it’s tricky but manageable. With repetition, the technique is perfected and by time confidence grows with it. But one of the most important factors is family support. That is definitely the number one rule for participants.

“Ingenuity starts at home. When parents involve their children in day to day activities such as cooking or reading for example, that simple bonding time turns into a passion that grows with the child and because their young minds are filled with imaginative wonders, they channel it into their new passion. There is no better way to spend time with your children than while doing something both the parent and child love.”

The fact that Aidofood Festival Junior is already in play until April 23, the amount of talent these children have is out of this world.

One very interesting twist in this festival is the participation of some very special children. There was young Sari, the handsome young man with leukemia who loves to cook and found a way to test his tastebuds by messing around with ingredients until he found the perfect flavor to suit his condition. Given that therapy alters his ability to taste, that wasn’t an excuse for him to give up, he used it to his benefit and became an inventive little chef. Jana, a beautiful young lady with child diabetes, another example that shows that even with a life altering condition, it still didn’t hinder her love for cooking. With the help of her mother, young Jana learned how to count the calories of each ingredient in her dishes in order to customize her insulin shots for the day accordingly. Aidofood festival gave these special and talented kids the opportunity to show their skills in the kitchen along with a number of kids with equally great talent.

Aidofood festival is a very unique kind of festival. Using technology to connect people from all over the globe to tune in and watch a live cooking show from one home to yours. “Boundaries are invisible here and talent is quintessential and that is what Aidofood festival is all about. Tune in to watch the rest of the festival on Snapchat by following “aido4ever,” check out the latest on Instagram “aidoadviser” and to catch up on all previous Aidofood festival participants, check them out at “Aido4Ever” on YouTube.

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