An exchange of culinary insights and live cooking demonstration by internationally renowned chefs, as well as dazzling entertainment shows and fireworks display marked the opening of the ninth edition of Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) on Thursday at the Hotel Park.

The opening salvo witnessed one of Hollywood’s favourite chefs, Wolfgang Puck, and Qatar’s very own Aisha al-Tamimi, discussing the popularity and uniqueness of the Arabic and Western cuisines, followed by US Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s live demonstration at the QIFF Cooking Theatre stage.

“Qatar is now famous not only in oil and gas but also for the food,” Puck told al-Tamimi, who was sharing the positive response she received about Qatari food during her visit to Russia.

The 11-day culinary event, which will run until March 25, is also set to witness the US’ Christine Ha, Kuwait’s Sulaiman al-Qassar, Philippines’ Luis Rey ‘Nino’ Logarta , India’s Ranveer Barar, Lebanon’s Chef Ramzi, Turkey’s Murat Bozok and al-Tamimi, who are among the 14 internationally-renowned chefs sharing their special dishes at the QIFF Cooking Theatre from today.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on Thursday, Qatar Tourism Authority’s (QTA) festivals and tourism events director Mashal Shahbik said QIFF 2018 has become bigger and better, now occupying 80,000sqm of space with an increasing number of participants.

She noted that residents and visitors will have the chance to savour a wide range of dishes from different countries at the festival.

Shahbik thanked ambassadors of various embassies in Doha who are attending the festival “for laying the bridges between different cultures.”

“There is no doubt that once you try and taste one of the dishes from any of the countries participating you would feel the hospitality and the environment of that particular country,” she stressed.

Some 178 participants, a 36% increase compared to the previous edition, offer visitors with an array of international dishes at prices not exceeding QR40.

Nine embassies representing nine countries (Mexico, Ethiopia, India, Lebanon, the Philippines, South Africa, the US, Vietnam and Turkey) are taking part in this edition of QIFF, “offering festival-goers with food experiences from all corners of the world.”

“We are celebrating the success of this festival after nine years of development and growth,” Shahbik said, citing the significant contribution of private companies and Qatari entrepreneurs.

She also thanked various Qatari entrepreneurs who developed a number of projects in keeping with the strategy of QTA in attracting more foreign visitors from various parts of the world.

“Qatar welcomes the world through you,” Shahbik said. “We are one of the most open countries in the region welcoming citizens from 80 countries globally.”

She added that Qatar is now one of the most competitive countries in the region in terms of tourism.

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