K-Food supporters officially appointed at inaugural ceremony at Korea 360
A major highlight was an exclusive cooking show led by acclaimed celebrity Chef Choi Hyun-seok, renowned for his appearances on Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars.' Chef Choi shared his expertise, demonstrating the finesse and flavors that make K-Food globally beloved.
The ceremony also featured the formal awarding of certificates of appointment to the K-Food supporters. This was presided over by Chef Choi Hyun-seok, Consul General Lee Beomchan, and AT Center Dubai Director, Yong Pil Jeon. The event integrated live participation with overseas supporters joining remotely from Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, via a dynamic conference call.
Attendees received a comprehensive introduction to the K-Food Supporter Program, gaining insights into its mission, guidelines, and exciting future initiatives designed to promote Korean cuisine. All 40 supporters were also given official merchandise and exclusive giveaways, reinforcing their role in this vibrant culinary movement.
'This is a special day. Today, we are welcoming all of you as official K-Food Supporters. You are not only fans of Korean food, but also friends who will help us share Korean culture in the UAE,' stated Yong Pil Jeon. 'We believe that with your help, more people will discover the joy of Korean food.'
This ceremony marks a significant step in strengthening cultural ties through the universal language of food.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
6 hours ago
- The National
Alba Street review: Japanese burgers and sophisticated sushi cater to the whole family
Feeding teenagers who turn their noses up at anything green or raw is a challenge. A big challenge when eating out. Choosing a place with plenty of backup options is a must. That's why a school holiday family outing to Dubai Mall 's Social Distrikt felt like a promising way to please everyone. At Alba Street, which has a menu full of Japanese-inspired bites and familiar comfort food, my 13-year-old twins could stick to burgers, fries and ice cream, while the grown-ups branched out. Where to sit and what to expect Social Distrikt opened in April. The indoor food hall and entertainment hub in the Fountain Views area of Dubai Mall has an open layout and bold graffiti-style art, giving the space energy and a youthful vibe. Its mix of global cuisines makes it ideal for adventurous eaters and choosy teenagers alike. The hall is quiet when we arrive. Alba Street, a 40-seat counter-service outlet with an izakaya-style open kitchen, sits neatly within the venue. A spin-off from Alba Restaurant in Downtown Dubai, it promises a casual-yet-refined take on Japanese street food. That's not a pitch that works on my fussy kids, so I have sold it to them as a burger-and-fries joint. We grab a table near the service hatch and settle in. The menu Alba Street reimagines its parent restaurant's menu with a fun, accessible twist. Created by chef Chistyakov Vladimir, the offering ranges from shareable snacks to hearty combos. There's an extensive selection of nigiri, sashimi, onigiri and hand rolls with ingredients such as scallop, eel, king crab and A5 Wagyu beef. For burger fans, like my two, standout options include the Wagyu kimchi burger and the spicy yuzu chilli chicken burger, both available in cheekily named combos: Grendizer and Cheat Day. Desserts follow the same East-meets-West theme, incorporating matcha and miso, while house-made drinks such as milk oolong mango lemonade and pink sakura water add a playful touch. I had prechecked the menu, so there are no surprises when the girls both order the Grendizer Power Pack combo (Dh115): Wagyu kimchi burger, fries, sauce and a drink. Everything comes in takeaway-style cardboard packaging, just how they like it. The burgers, packed with umami flavours and melted cheese, pass the picky test, even the spicy house-fermented kimchi. The hit of the meal, however, is the delicious home-made cherry almond lemonade. It vanishes in a few gulps. My wife opts for the Geisha Cheat Day combo (Dh95), sticking with a yuzu chilli chicken burger and fries. It's a safe option and goes down a treat. The fried chicken has a crispy crunch and, glazed in tangy yuzu chilli sauce and topped with shredded cabbage and creamy Japanese mayo, has an abundance of flavour. I'm not usually a sushi kind of guy, but I'm here for real Japanese flavours. Though starters include kale salad (Dh35), broken cucumber (Dh25) and popcorn shrimp (Dh45), I skip them and head straight for the sushi-style dishes. My selection includes salmon belly sashimi (Dh55) and tuna akami onigiri (Dh55). Served with soy sauce, both showcase the full range of Japanese flavours – sweet, sour, spicy, bitter and salty. The salmon belly is rich and buttery, and works well when dipped in soy sauce, delivering an umami taste. The tuna onigiri has a fresh, meaty texture with a well-balanced salt and seaweed taste. Wasabi dip adds another dimension, providing a kick to the taste buds. To order or not to order The king crab handroll (Dh90) is the pick of the bunch. It's a sweet, salty, sea-scented bite with excellent contrast provided by the rice, seaweed and veggies. But it was disappointing – not least for the girls – not to be able to sample dessert. The soft matcha ice cream (Dh25) had not been delivered on time by the supplier for our lunch outing. The other desert option, miso Snickers (Dh30) was also unavailable, so we had to go without. Save or splurge There's plenty of range when it comes to pricing, but the most expensive options are probably worth it if sharing. A 12-piece sashimi box with salmon, yellowtail, tuna and eel is Dh175 and an eight-piece nigiri box comes in at Dh165. Other shareable options include a four-piece handroll box (Dh150), two-piece onigiri set (Dh150), and 16-piece maki roll box (Dh135) with avo maki, California crunch, salmon avo and spicy tuna. For smaller appetites, individual items start from Dh35, with salmon the most affordable across formats. The verdict Alba Street pulls off a tricky balance: comfort food for hesitant teenagers and bold, high-quality Japanese street food for grown-up palates in a cool and casual setting. But with no guarantee dessert will show up, the sweet-toothed might leave with cravings still intact. Alba Street at Dubai Mall's Social Distrikt is open from 11am to 11pm from Sunday to Thursday and 11am to midnight on Friday and Saturday. Reservations can be made by calling 058 527 8771.
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Timeframe: When the UAE was left spellbound by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Abu Dhabi is getting ready for a spellbinding experience as Harry Potter: The Exhibition comes to Manarat Al Saadiyat. But before the exhibition, the UAE was already captivated by the wizarding world created by J K Rowling as fans of the Boy Wizard turned out to Dubai's Mall of the Emirates for the book launch of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in July 2016. The book featured the script of the then-new two-part play of the same name, which had its official premiere in London's West End. Fans of the eagerly awaited novel turned out to the Virgin Megastore inside the mall at 2am to be among the first to get a copy. The book went on sale at 3am, to coincide with the midnight launch in the UK. To set the mood, the Harry Potter movie theme music played in the background as fans dressed up for the occasion. Some had lightning-shaped scars on their foreheads, created with make-up pencils, while others wore the wizard's signature round eyeglasses. A woman wore a lavender wig – probably in honour of Nymphadora Tonks, a witch who died while defending Hogwarts – while a Professor Snape look-alike was spotted, with the distinctive nose and severe black hairstyle, along with a touch of kohl around the eyes. Black picnic tables were set up at the entrance of the store to mimic the Hogwarts Great Hall, while gold and black balloons were on the floor. There was even one foil balloon in the shape of the Snitch – the winged ball used in the wizarding sport of Quidditch. Co-written by Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set 19 years after the conclusion of the final novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It features a grown-up Harry, struggling to balance his life as a father of three and an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic.
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Meet the 16-year-old Emirati chef whose traditional desserts are going down a treat at Expo 2025 Osaka
With its inviting glass facade design and showcase of the country's past, present and future, the UAE pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka has been popular with Japanese visitors. The National was recently invited for a tour of the pavilion's sections, and how they demonstrate the UAE's deep connection to its past, while striving towards a better future. During the tour, we were told we would be attending a workshop hosted by an Emirati chef. I assumed that it would be someone with a lot of experience, perhaps one of the chefs who put together the Emirati menu at the pavilion's restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the workshop would be hosted by Khalifa Mohammed Al Otaiba, who is only 16 years old. Even more surprising was the number of Japanese visitors who flocked for one of the limited seats available to attend the workshop. In the 30-minute sessions, scheduled twice on the same day, chef Al Otaiba first cooked luqaimat, a traditional Emirati dessert consisting of fried dough balls covered in date syrup. Often eaten during Ramadan, luqaimat is a staple Emirati dessert. Always presented with a cup of coffee, they are often used in UAE homes as a way to welcome guests. In the second workshop, Al Otaiba cooked sago, a traditional dessert made using tapioca pearls and cooked with saffron and rose water. It takes on a golden colour from the saffron and is the perfect way to end a rich Emirati meal. Throughout the workshops, Al Otaiba was aided by chef Francisco Araya, Al Otaiba's mentor at the International Centre for Culinary Arts in Abu Dhabi. 'I feel really proud that I'm representing my country,' Al Otaiba tells The National. 'I feel like it's a chance to inspire other young chefs and young people to pursue careers in cooking.' The passion Al Otaiba has for both cooking and the traditional Emirati desserts he's preparing really shone through in these workshops. Curious Japanese attendants were not at all concerned with the age of the chef, they hung on to every word and were looking to learn how to prepare these dishes, as well as taste them for themselves. After the sessions were over, many attendees approached the young chef to thank him for showing them something new and allowing them to taste a piece of the UAE that they would have only been able to experience if they visited the country. Al Otaiba was introduced to cooking by his sister. 'She introduced me to ICCA and when I went to the course, I had a lot of fun and I enjoyed it and now I'm pursuing this in my free time," he said. 'I'm more of a technical person. That's why I entered cooking because it's very technical.' Despite his evident passion and talent, Al Otaiba surprised attendees when he said that he hoped to become an engineer, rather than a full-time chef. Cooking will remain his biggest hobby, he assured. Chef Araya in-turn is not giving up on his protegee just yet. "He wants to be an engineer, but I'm just going to let him go to university and then catch him back because I need that Emirati talent, to show the world how good Emirati food is," he says. The UAE pavilion has been hosting Emirati cooking workshops since the start of the Expo. Earlier in July, Emirati chef Mohammed Al Banna, owner of popular Dubai restaurant Al Banoosh, hosted workshops where he cooked margoog, a hearty lamb and vegetable stew seasoned with spices and dried limes. The restaurant at Expo has also become a popular spot, serving authentic Emirati food, such as machboos, fish stew and a vegetarian eggplant option, presented in the style of Japanese bento boxes. Mariam Al Memari, deputy commissioner general and pavilion director, and head of UAE Expo Office says that they wanted traditional Emirati food to have a more Japanese presentation. 'We really wanted the Japanese audiences to get to know the Emirati culture through food. We've designed the restaurant offering in that sense,' Al Memari explains. 'We wanted to make it presentable to the Japanese by presenting it in a bento box, which is traditional to them. "They're really loving the restaurant and the Emirati cuisine, which is something that was surprising knowing the Japanese and their taste palate – and they queue for more than an hour every day to get in.'
