Food festivals tend to be judged by their opening day: The queues, the noise, the first plates handed over the counter. Much of what makes them work, though, happens the night before, when the cooks meet without an audience.
Last night, on the rooftop of the WB Abu Dhabi, Curio Collection by Hilton, the chefs of Taste of Abu Dhabi had that evening to themselves. The sun went down over Yas Island, and the conversation turned to the days ahead: what they planned to cook, what they hoped to share, and who would be coming to watch.
The view from the headliner’s table
Celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo has done this kind of event many times, and it shows in how relaxed he is. Even so, he talks about Abu Dhabi with something closer to gratitude than routine.
“Being in Abu Dhabi, where you get the best international chefs in the world, is a privilege for me,” he said. Then he gave a more practical reason he values the event. Top chefs spend most of their working lives in their own kitchens, he explained, and seldom see each other. “We don’t often get the chance to spend time with chefs who come from all over the world,” he said. “We can talk about new ideas, new food trends.
