New restaurants revealed as tickets now on sale for the city’s finest food, drink and music festival

Dubai, UAE, 9 February 2013:  A new dining concept will hit the city next month at Taste of Dubai which will test the limits of the most refined palates and shed new light on heightening your senses, all while keeping you in the dark.

Dine in the Dark with Chef Andy Campbell is the latest new feature revealed at Taste of Dubai, the ultimate food, drink and music festival which is back at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre from 14 to 16 March 2013.  If you think you know your paprika from your pepper, this blindfolded dining experience is for you.

You will be served three large canapés and a glass of grape, which will be hidden from view, allowing only your sense of smell, taste and texture to help you then choose 20 ingredients from a list of 100 and guess what you have sampled.

By correctly identifying the ingredients, you will be entered into a prize draw to win an exclusive fine dining experience in your own home courtesy of Chef Andy Campbell, worth AED5,000.

Andy has been the Head Chef at many well-known fine dining restaurants in London, including Café Royal, Ménage A Trois and French House.  Today, he oversees the kitchen of The Jumeirah Gardens, an exclusive guest house, and is most well known for his Seven Signature concept, where he creates dishes using seasonal ingredients and organically grown local produce.

Presented by Philips, Taste of the Dubai is the al fresco food festival which combines the city’s best food, drinks and music.  This year, the event will present a record 30 restaurants, many of which are new to both the city and the festival.

Visitors will have a chance to sample dishes, which all cost between AED15 to AED30, from establishments such as Armani Amal and Armani Ristorante, Frevo from the Fairmont The Palm, Asado and Thiptara from The Palace Hotel, No 5 Bar & Lounge in the Ritz Carlton DIFC as well as Prime 68, Lzakaya and Rang Mahal from the newly opened JW Marriott Marquis.

By simply buying a ticket to Taste of Dubai, visitors are entered into a prize draw to win the an Ultimate Dining Experience worth AED15,000.  The prize comprises 30 vouchers worth AED500 from every participating restaurant, including Dubai favourites Rivington Grill, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Rhodes Mezzanine, Nobu, Gaucho and The Grammercy.

The new dark dining concept joins the popular features at the food festival including the Philips Chef’s Theatre starring celebrity chefs Gary Rhodes, Richard Sandoval, Vineet Bhatia and the Food Network’s Jenny Morris and Reza Mohammed, as well as the Kenwood Cookery Schools, the Mumzworld.com Kid’s Area and the Entertainment Stage sponsored by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts starring a selection of the region’s hottest bands.

Standard entry costs AED60 in advance and AED80 on the door, while VIP tickets are AED220 per person in advance and AED240 on the door, providing fast track entry, access to the VIP enclosure, two free drinks at the VIP bar, three free dishes from any participating restaurant and entry into a free prize draw.  Tickets are on sale now and available from www.tasteofdubaifestival.com.

Caption:          Taste of Dubai this year will feature Dine in the Dark with Chef Andy Campbell, set to heighten senses and test taste buds.

Notes to Editors:

Taste of Dubai is supported by a variety of food, beverage, entertainment and lifestyle brands, including: Philips – Headline and Chefs’ Theatre; Kenwood – Cookery School; Acqua Panna and San Pellegrino – Water; Local Harvest; Gulf News – newspaper; Fairmont Hotels & Resorts – Entertainment Stage; British Airways – VIP Lounge; Land Rover and Al Tayer – vehicle; Mumzworld.com – Kids Zone; OSN – TV partner; Food Network and Travel Channel – TV channel; Time Out – magazine; Virgin 104.4FM – radio; BBC Good Food – monthly magazine; ExpatWoman.com – online partner; Dubai Media City – venue partner; International Centre for Culinary Arts – partner; Alex Jeffries – photography partner.