15 chefs from leading Saudi establishments (cookery schools, airlines and hotel chains) were the contestants in the semi-final in Riyadh of The Dates Connection, the contest launched by HostMilano and TUTTOFOOD that traces an ideal path from the Arabian Gulf to Italy taking in some of the most beautiful locations in the Levant that form the backdrop to the gourmand creativity of the international chefs taking part. Everything revolves around the date, a fruit that has just been reinvented for contemporary cuisine in a culinary connection exercise between East and West.

Five countries are involved: Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Italy. After Jordan in September and Saudia Arabia on 7 December, the national semi-finals will continue until February 2023.

The winner of the semi-final in Riyadh is chef Sanjay Thakur of Saudi Airlines Catering for his Braized Cutlets with Dates recipe: he was presented with the trophy by Fahad Alhudhayf, marketing director of the National Center for Palm and Dates (NCPD) of the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Proof of the versatility of dates – 9.5 million tonnes of which were produced in 2020, from 200 million palm trees – is clearly demonstrated by this winning recipe in which this intriguing ingredient was not being used as a fruit to create a dessert. The dishes brought to the tables of the jury headed by Chef Thomas Gugler, President of World Chef at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center during the International Dates Conference and Exhibition, involved Wagyu fillet with dates, stewed lamb and dates and the highly original lamb ravioli and dates by Italian chef Nicola Offredi.

The event received strong institutional support from the Chefs’ Association and Saudi Arabian Chefs’ Table Circle, and from the Saudi Culinary Academy.

The Dates Connection – an international gourmet moment as well as a major networking opportunity for buyers, businesses, the media, associations and institutions – will continue with the semi-finals in Qatar, U.A.E. and Italy. The five finalists will battle it out in a major in-person event to be held in Italy 2023, at an as yet undisclosed top secret venue that will be revealed in the coming months. The initiative is part of the international build-up to the 2023 edition TUTTOFOOD, from 8 to 11 May 2023, and HostMilano, from 13 to 17 October 2023.

Videos showing the recipes being prepared can be seen on the Emirates Culinary Guild’s YouTube channel.