Voting for the 2013 Gourmet Stars Awards has begun, with 12 hotly-contested accolades – including two new awards - due to be presented at a glittering gala dinner that will bring the curtain down on the landmark fifth Gourmet Abu Dhabi - the UAE capital’s annual culinary festival which runs across 20 of Abu Dhabi’s leading restaurants from February 5-20, 2013.
Dubbed the ‘Oscars of the local hospitality industry’, the awards – voted for by the Abu Dhabi public, international visitors and an expert panel of judges – recognise individuals and restaurants that have contributed most to the UAE capital’s expanding hospitality sector.
As in previous years, 10 industry awards are divided into three categories - ‘Chef’, ‘Service’ and ‘Restaurant’ – and include: ‘Executive Chef of the Year’, ‘Restaurant Chef of the Year’, ‘Regional Cuisine Chef of the Year’, ‘Pastry Chef of the Year’, ‘Food & Beverage Manager of the Year’, ‘Regional Cuisine Manager of the Year’, ‘Restaurant Manager of the Year’, ‘Restaurant Host of the Year’, ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Regional Cuisine Restaurant of the Year’.
To mark the festival’s fifth anniversary, organisers have introduced two new awards - ‘Best Use of Local Produce by a Chef’ and a ‘Best Sustainability Award’ presented by BBC Good Food magazine, the event’s official Exclusive Food Magazine Partner.
With nominations generated through the festival’s official website –
www.gourmetabudhabi.ae - round one, a public vote, has begun and runs until December 18. The second round of voting involves a public ballot running December 25 to January 19. From there, a three-strong judging panel will spend a fortnight touring the shortlisted venues and casting its votes.
All winners will be revealed at the Awards ceremony on February 20 at the five-star, beachfront The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort. With reservations available from early January, Gourmet Stars Awards tickets are available via
www.gourmetabudhabi.ae