Having launched a dedicated UAE chapter earlier this year, Italian Restaurant Consulting is ready for the Italian Cuisine World Summit 2016, offering guests and gourmands of all ages and nationalities a taste of Italy’s world-leading culture and reputation for the best food in the world. As a leading international organization dedicated to the promotion of Italian Cuisine globally, Italian Restaurant Consulting is born out of a network of well-established chefs and restaurateurs, which allows it to assemble a stellar line up of names in Dubai. This eighth Summit will run from 7 to 24 November at iconic locations around the city.

The 2016 summit will bring together the best Italian restaurants, food and grape producers, Michelin-starred chefs and culinary experts under one roof, with the aim of celebrating, promoting and educating consumers about the beauty of Italian cuisine, its ingredients, and leading manufacturers.  The 2015 event involved 60 Italian Restaurants from Dubai, 125 Michelin starred chefs and 80 partners, attracting over 120,000 people and 2016 looks set to build on this impressive reputation to be the best event to date.

Taking place for the first time as a part of the Italian Cuisine Week, the Summit program includes everything from Michelin star masterclasses and live demonstrations to a series of gastronomic competitions planned to distinguish Dubai’s best from the rest. Gala dinners and extravagant celebrations will be held across the Emirate in celebration of Italian craft, cuisine and culture.

Key highlights from the program include:

Italian Cuisine Master Classes (7 – 24 November) – Dubai World Trade Centre
Talented Italian chefs impart their Michelin star knowledge during bespoke masterclasses. To be held throughout the Summit, the masterclasses will focus on different areas of Italian cuisine and are hosted in collaboration with Universitá Pizza and the International Centre for Culinary Arts Dubai.

Specialty Food Festival (7-9 November) – Dubai World Trade Centre
Hundreds of exhibitors are expected to join the Summit and live stations are set up across the arena with demos, gelato stands and cooking competitions taking place, all under one roof.

Italian Pizza World Summit (7-10 November) – Dubai World Trade Centre

Pitting the pizzerias of Dubai with those from the GCC and around the world, the Italian Pizza World Summit is one of the most coveted competitions held at each edition of the Summit, adjudicated by a panel of Italian cuisine experts.

Pizza UP and ICCA Masterclasses and Workshops (8-16 November) – International Centre for Culinary Arts

A series of demonstrations, classes and dinners, the Pizza Up congress will bring together industry experts from the world over to educate the region on Italian culinary art.

The Future of Pizza (9 November) – Billionaire Mansion, TAJ Dubai

Billionaire Mansion will play host to a memorable dinner by four Michelin star chefs, setting the stage for ‘The Future of Pizza’, serving up delicious Italian delicacies perfectly paired with the finest grape. An evening draped in decadence.

Italian Summit Golfing Day (10 November) – Jumeirah Golf Estates

A Gala dinner will take place on Thursday 10 November, preceded by a gourmet tournament earlier that day. Set at the Jumeirah Golf Estates, the dinner will see five distinguished Michelin star chefs commissioned to curate an evening of fine dining, fine company and elevated style for the culinary dignitaries about town.

“United Nations by Italian Cuisine” Gala Dinner (12 November) – JW Marriot Marquis Dubai

Twenty-five Michelin star chefs join 180 cooks across 18 nationalities to present their expertly crafted dishes before six hundred guests in the “United Nationals by Italian Cuisine” Gala Dinner.

Exclusive Dinner Event (13 November) – Social by Heinz Beck, Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah

Celebrity chef Heinz Beck presents an evening for grape connoisseurs and culinary aficionados alike. Titled ‘Best Kept Secrets of Italian Grapes’ the special dinner will take place at the chef’s exclusive restaurant, Social by Heinz Beck, at the iconic Waldorf Astoria hotel on the Palm on 13 November 2016.