LONG Riyadh Food Festival that started Friday along the theme of “Experience Food and Culture” is exhibiting culinary delights from various countries. Organized under the patronage of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), the participating hotels are offering a series of events from live cooking demonstrations, gastronomic presentation and food seminars to huge carnival-like cultural shows specific to particular countries. Abdulrahman Al-Jassas, SCTA Director-General for the Riyadh Provincial Tourism Office said that each participating hotel has adopted a special theme that highlights the country's food and culture. He said the idea behind the first ever Riyadh Food Festival is to offer a unique experience to the visitors during the holiday season. He said the visitors coming to stay at Riyadh's hotels will enjoy an extraordinary experience that they can remember for a long time. Leading businessmen from the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) and diplomats from various embassies participated in the opening ceremony held at various hotels that marked the opening of the festival. SCTA officials were also present. Saudi artist Fayez Al-Maliki graced the opening ceremony at the Holiday Inn as part of Riyadh Food Festival celebration. Groups of celebrities, players and representatives of organizations are also participating in the promotion of the festival. Hotel Al-Khozama, a Rosewood Hotel, which is hosting the Indonesia Food Festival has exhibited the country's culture by presenting folklore dances. Groups of Indonesian dancers dressed in traditional clothes performed to the applause of the audience at the inaugural event at Windrose Restaurant. The Riyadh Marriott has taken up “The Seafood Market” theme and transformed its Mosaic Restaurant by decorating it with a number of aquariums brimming with fish and lobsters. Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad inaugurated the Indian Food Festival at Riyadh Palace Hotel, Saturday. Many members of the diplomatic community were present to taste the rich Indian food. Sheraton hotel has also hosted a workshop to teach the art of Italian cooking, while the Riyadh Intercontinental hotel offered a presentation on the unique hospitality of the Spanish hotel industry, and French cuisine formed the focus at Hotel Novotel. Visitors to the Holiday Inn were able to exclusively enjoy Lebanese cuisine and other related events that highlighted Moroccan cuisine.
