Celebrity social media influencers have taken part in a cooking competition at Al Qasba, one of the premium locations hosting the 10th edition of the Sharjah Food Festival, which has been organised by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq). The activity at the festival, which is due to continue until April 9, saw visitors and tourists from across the UAE witnessing a culinary cook-off between two teams of food lovers who are prominent on social media.

The competition, which was held on Friday at the cooking zone at Al Qasba, featured celebrity social media influencers whose lively sense of humour transformed the place into a fun-filled fiesta when they interacted with their fans. The event saw the Al Qasba walkway playing host to crowds of visitors, tourists and residents from Sharjah and the rest of the UAE who had arrived to experience the festival’s numerous attractions.

The contest, one among many other activities, was between two teams. The first comprised Muna Al Shamsi, Eissa Al Mehairi and Timor Al Othmani, who had the team name the ‘Food Monsters.’ They gave themselves the

humorous moniker as a part of their social media activities to highlight to that they are in love with food and are always keen to share their experience of different types of cuisine and new flavours with their followers.

Eissa Al Mehairi said; “The Sharjah Food Festival is all about family and friends gathering in one place to share the joy of food in an exciting atmosphere and in an environment suitable for all members of the family. We thank the festival management for organising this fun culinary event and for facilitating its many great activities.”

The second group of contestants included Ali Al Balushi, Mohammed Mandoos and Rashid Al Balushi, who called themselves the ‘Pink Team.’ They communicate with fans through comic sketches they direct themselves and upload to social media sites. The Pink Team expressed their delight participating at the Sharjah Food Festival, which enabled them to communicate with their fans directly.

The one-hour contest between the teams challenged them to prepare a main dish and a salad using three ingredients that were kept in a special box provided by the festival management. They were provided with all the necessary cooking tools in a kitchen equipped especially for the competitions.

The Food Monsters prepared a dish with rice and meat, seasoned with pomegranate molasses and accompanied with an Arabic salad, while the Pink Team cooked an Indian dish with rice and meat, also served with an Arabic salad. The event ended with the Pink Team as victors, with the winners receiving warm applause from the audience who had lined up to watch, enjoy the competition and cheer their stars throughout.

Egyptian chef Mohammed Saber, the judge who assessed the cooked dishes and decided the winners, said; “Through this contest between popular social media influencers we aimed to spread awareness about food hygiene and kitchen safety, as well as reveal the fun aspects of cooking, all of which benefited the audience. We were delighted to witness the great interaction this initiative created between the participants and the crowds who gathered to watch.”

Al Qasba will continue to play host to numerous daily activities designed to appeal to audiences of all ages. A series of activities will take place on Al Qasba walkway every day during Sharjah Food Festival, which has established itself as a distinctive annual event that attracts the entire family.