Forty finalists have now been selected for the 10 hotly-contested public accolades of the 2014 Gourmet Stars Awards – an annual highlight of the UAE capital’s annual culinary festival, Gourmet Abu Dhabi, which runs across 20 of Abu Dhabi’s leading restaurants from 4-19 February 2014.

Round Two of public voting is now open until 23 December through the official Gourmet Abu Dhabi website www.gourmetabudhabi.ae. Widely recognised as the ‘Oscars of the local Hospitality Industry’, the awards recognise individuals and restaurants that have contributed most to the UAE capital’s expanding hospitality sector. Following public voting, a four strong judging panel will spend two weeks touring the shortlisted venues to cast the final vote.

“Competition among newcomers and established favourites on Abu Dhabi’s culinary scene is stronger than ever, as they continue raising the bar to secure the region’s leading food & beverage honours - the Gourmet Stars Awards,” said Noura Al Dhaheri, of the Gourmet Abu Dhabi organising committee. “The votes cast by the public and the industry during the first round demonstrate significant interest in the awards, and we now invite all visitors to Abu Dhabi’s diverse and vibrant dining scene to cast votes for their favourites and recognise the emirate’s culinary creativity, quality and service excellence.”

A multitude of chefs, restaurants and front-of-house professionals are vying for the 2014 dining honours, with four of the emirate’s big-name chefs contending the Executive Chef of the Year accolade, and the capital’s best Eastern Mediterranean, French, Steakhouse and Thai restaurants competing for the coveted Restaurant of the Year gong, all to be decided by the public vote.

The programme features 12 industry awards – two of which are not open to public voting – and are segregated into three categories - ‘Chef’, ‘Service’ and ‘Restaurant’ – and include: ‘Executive Chef of the Year’, ‘Acqua Panna & S.Pellegrino Restaurant Chef of the Year’, ‘Regional Cuisine Chef of the Year’, ‘Valrhona Pastry Chef of the Year’, ‘Sub-Zero & Wolf Food & Beverage Manager of the Year’, ‘Regional Cuisine Manager of the Year’, ‘A. Ronai LLC Restaurant Manager of the Year’, ‘Restaurant Host of the Year’, ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Regional Cuisine Restaurant of the Year’.

The two awards introduced at the festival’s fifth anniversary programme in 2013: ‘Best Use of Local Produce by a Chef’ and ‘Best Sustainability Practice Award’ are judged on separate criteria for evaluating and judging, and are aimed at encouraging the Abu Dhabi hospitality industry to increase awareness and use of fresh and organic local produce.

Winners will be announced during the glittering gala dinner on 19 February at the newest addition to Abu Dhabi city’s iconic skyline, the five-star The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, that draws the curtain on the festival’s sixth showing.

Ticket reservations for the Awards Gala dinner will open early January through www.gourmetabudhabi.ae
 

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