Souk Madinat Jumeirah will showcase a world of eco-friendly culinary possibilities during a week-long Homegrown@Souk food festival from February 28 to March 7.
The extensive Homegrown@Souk bill includes two exclusive VeggiTech Markets on Friday February 28 and March 6, a week-long schedule of food and beverage masterclasses and the Souk Restaurant Week, an activation which provides diners with the chance to experience a wide range of venues through specially curated menus.
Nicola Walsh, Marketing Director at Dubai Retail and Sarood Hospitality, says: “The Homegrown@Souk event has been conceived to showcase Souk Madinat Jumeirah’s credentials as a market-leading food and beverage destination with a conscience, and to build on its standing as one of Dubai’s most iconic leisure and entertainment-led retail destinations.
“Dubai Retail is committed to far-reaching sustainability initiatives for the good of tomorrow, and activations such as Homegrown@Souk are a great opportunity to raise awareness and get us there one small step at a time.”
The free-to-attend VeggiTech Markets, held in collaboration with the UAE agri technology start-up, will start at 9.30am and run until all produce is snapped up, with visitors encouraged to ‘act local and think global’ by shopping for healthy and locally sourced produce which comes packaging-free or with easily compostable, plant-based packaging.
Catering for up to 1,000 visitors per week, the VeggiTech Markets will enable sustainability-minded shoppers to pick up free ingredients for one of three special recipe cards in an environment designed for foodies to engage with homegrown producers and learn more about produce options grown within a 50-mile radius of Souk Madinat Jumeirah.
All shoppers will be provided with a complimentary tote bag, to eliminate plastic and further reinforce the eco-conscious message.
The week-long schedule of masterclasses will provide a range of educational, fun and informative sessions at some of Souk Madinat Jumeirah’s most-popular locations, places can be secured through social media competitions running on the @SoukMadinatJumeirah Instagram page.
The inaugural Souk Restaurant Week will offer diners the chance to experience a range of Souk Madinat Jumeirah venues via specially curated menus. Three set menu options priced at AED 99, AED 149 or AED 199 per sitting will feature select dishes and drinks incorporating locally sourced ingredients.
Participating venues serving up the AED 199 options include Folly by Nick and Scott, the award-winning restaurant renowned for its strong focus on flavour and high-quality produce; and Americano, the trendy hangout offering the very best in American cuisine and beverages.
Other brands offering the AED 199 set menu include Ushna, the Indian restaurant reputed for its quality food and service, Anar Dubai, the Persian restaurant which combines 2,500-year old recipes and modern cooking techniques, and Trader Vic’s, the fusion restaurant concept offering simmering plates of island-style cuisine.
Restaurants offering the AED 149 set menu include Publique, the Alpine-themed French restaurant; award-winning Italian restaurants Segreto and Trattoria Toscana; Belgian Beer Café, the authentic experience of a vintage bistro from early 1920s Belgium; McGettigan’s Irish Pub; and Maria Bonita, the recently opened authentic Mexican experience.
Set menus in the AED 99 price bracket include The Noodle House, the tasty, fun and informal Asian restaurant; Perry & Blackwelder’s, the popular smokehouse restaurant; and Al Makan, the traditional Arabic restaurant where heritage meets the needs of modern life.
