DUBAI — The whites were out in force at the Meydan Racecourse recently when Dubai took over a Guinness World Record from South Korea for the most number of dressed chefs in one sitting … and among them were two chefs from the Taj Palace Hotel Dubai, Yasser Asfour, Chef de Partie from Al Waha restaurant and Prashant Kumar, Commis Pastry Chef. The two joined 2,845 colleagues at the record breaking event as part of an initiative organized by the Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing and the Emirates Culinary Guild. In addition to being an amazing spectacle, the chefs had a more serious purpose in taking part in the launch of the Emirati Cuisine initiative. The aim was to promote Emirati food both to visitors and UAE residents, and they succeeded by cooking the most delicious Loukmath, a popular fried sweetmeat, in a massive quantity. The event took place on the anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum as ruler of Dubai, and is just one of more than 100 Guinness World Records held by the emirate, including the world's biggest kebab and longest line of sandwiches. According to Samer Abiad, director of Food & Beverage at the Taj Palace Dubai, the occasion emphasised the depth and quality of cuisine in Dubai. “We have a huge variety of nationalities in the kitchens of hotels, restaurants and clubs across Dubai, but this Guinness World Record has served to put the spotlight on Emirati cuisine which is often the finest flavour in our menus. “Our chefs were delighted to take part in such an historic event, which we hope will be the first of many in the Emirati Cuisine Initiative,” he said. — SG
