Three major US trade bodies are teaming up for ‘first of their kind’ culinary demonstrations at this year’s International Salon Culinaire.

 

The annual Emirates Culinary Guild showcase of the region’s best culinary talent and expertise – at Gulfood 2016, will run from February 21 to 24 at the Dubai World Trade Center.

 

Coming together for their first-ever joint promotion are the USA’s Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), the Meat Export Federation and the Dairy Export Council. 

 

The USAPEEC has hired Louisiana-born Joe Truex, executive chef at Dubai Mall’s gourmet eatery Pi. Dubai, to headline the three trade bodies’ ‘Tastes of the USA’ demonstrations.

 

Having started in kitchens in New Orleans and Las Vegas and trained under multi-award-winning and celebrity chef Daniel Boulud at the elite Le Cirque while attending The Culinary Institute of America in New York, chef Truex is one of the most experienced chefs in the Gulf.

 

At Gulfood’s International Salon Culinaire, chef Truex will stage four, 30-minute demonstrations daily, which will be complemented by presentations by chefs representing the Meat Federation and the Dairy Council. 

 

Chef Truex’s demos promise to be a ‘Grand Tour’ of the US with the protein content – egg, chicken, duck and turkey - staying the same but other ingredients changing daily with menus representing different American states.

 

“I’ll be presenting quiche-style dishes and omelettes but also poultry – chicken, duck and turkey – creations,” said chef Truex. 

 

“For instance braised lemon chicken which is typical of New York; a pan roasted duck breast with Georgia peaches or oranges to bring out the Californian and Florida touch. I’ll also cook with apples and cherries for a flavour of Washington state and even sorghum molasses for a trip back to my southern roots. The menu will be a snapshot of the many different culinary styles and flavours of the US that can be summoned up with the use of poultry and eggs,” he said.

 

One of Gulfood’s undisputed draws for the region’s top professional chefs, pastry chefs, cooks and bakers, this year’s Salon Culinaire will see more than 1,300 professional chefs evaluated by a panel of 25 renowned experts mandated by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) to judge culinary events across the globe.

 

Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, Exhibitions and Events, DWTC, the organiser of Gulfood, said: “Chef Truex’s ‘Tastes of the USA’ promotion is exactly the type of dynamic, multiple entity promotional activity that is synonymous with Gulfood and the International Salon Culinaire.

 

“Having the USAPEEC, the Meat Export Federation and the Dairy Export Council collaborate in this activity will showcase the complimentary product lines of all three trade bodies’ members in front of an audience of influential regional and global buyers and traders.” - TradeArabia News Service