The first edition of Middle East Design and Hospitality Week (MEDHW) 2019 welcomed over 35,000 visitors from over 110 countries at Dubai World Trade Centre from 17th to 19th September. The Hotel Show Dubai, The Leisure Show, INDEX, Workspace, Surface Design Middle East, FIM, INDEX Home and FM Expo came together to form MEDHW.
The design and hospitality-focused event offered a compelling platform for companies and industry leaders from the respective sectors to showcase products, services, latest innovations, share knowledge, discuss and forecast trends, and celebrate the industry’s ‘best in class’ over the three days.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek Overall Champion of the Chefs Table Competition
Eleven teams participated in the second edition of The Chefs Table competition that took place during the Hotel Show Dubai. Each team, comprising seven participants, were judged on hygiene, kitchen skills, creativity, cooking skills, and taste while recreating the complete experience that a diner has from the moment he or she steps into a restaurant.
The competition had four gold and seven silver medal winners. “We had a fantastic competition this year. The four gold medal winners were only a point and a half apart from each other and overall the teams this year were neck and neck”, says Chef Uwe Micheel, President of the Emirates Culinary Guild.
In the gold category, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek emerged Overall Champion, Best Kitchen was claimed by voco Dubai, JW Mariott Marquis won Best Service and Best Bar was secured by Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai.
Al Manzil Downtown Hotel took home the ‘Best Housekeeping Team’ title
46 housekeeping teams battled it out for the Best Housekeeping Team title at the third Middle East Housekeepers League of Champions, sponsored by Restonic, at the Hotel Show Dubai. Al Manzil Downtown Hotel team claimed first place in the competition this year followed by Address Dubai Mall in second place and the Westin Mina Seyahi came in third.
Godwin Austen Johnson won the Hotel Room Set Design Challenge
Three of UAE’s leading interior designers and fit out contractors each created a conceptual hotel room at the Hotel Show based upon the theme Dubai: A World of Possibility, A Lifetime of Stories. Visitors at the event voted for their favourite hotel room design; Godwin Austen Johnson secured over 50% of the votes. The other two contenders were Gensler and STYLIS NSG.
The best alcohol-free speciality drinks
ICCA Dubai in collaboration with Alembic-Liquid Education Experience presented an exciting competition that put the showmanship and mixing skills of participating bar professionals to test, in a brand new feature at The Hotel Show.
The bartenders received a mystery box and three minutes to prepare three ‘alcohol-free’ speciality drinks that would woo the judges’ palates. Roman Tanasiev from the Cave at Conrad Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai secured first place in the ‘Outdoor Pool & Garden’ category, Cedrick Anthony from Luigia at Rixos JBR bagged first in the ‘Aperitif’ category and Rich Mar Mostar of KIM'S Singapore Seafood claimed the top spot in the ‘Food Friendly’ category.
Interior Design Awards won by Bishop Design, A2Q Group and Sharon Jutla
On the INDEX side of MEDHW, GCC’s leading interior design event along with Danube Home presented three key awards to Bishop Design, A2Q Group and Sharon Jutla for Best Commercial project, Best Residential project and Interior designer of the year respectively. Entries received from the region’s interior design community for each category were screened by an esteemed panel of judges.
