Flavours of AlUla

Dec 29, 2022 - Jan 14, 2023
FREE ENTRY

AlUla's First-Ever Food Festival

A myriad of flavours from around the world had guests taste buds raving at AlUla’s first-ever food festival this past December and January. Flavours of AlUla wasn’t just about eating - it was about all things food. It included the opportunity to attend one-of-a-kind masterclasses with world-renowned chefs, innovative food stalls, comparative sensorial activities to test your palate and so much more.

Flavours of AlUla

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Chef Presentation

Visiting Chefs

Witness some of the most exciting chefs from around the region doing what they do best. Sample their food and learn the tricks of their trade during special masterclasses.

 

International Pastry Chef

Karim Bourgi


Chef Bourgi is an artisan pastry chef based in Dubai and the founder of KAYU bakehouse & CALLA. Always looking for unique and delicious creations, his desserts have earned him the acclaim of more than half a million followers.

Saudi Chef

Omar AlWatban


Omar Alwatban is a self-taught Saudi cook who took to social media to share his passion. He started his social media pages in July 2021 and has shared and developed over 200 recipes. He appeared at Live Cooking at MBC 1 in 2022.
 

Saudi Chef

Areej Al-Shareef


Areej is a fantastic chef who has created bespoke menus for many restaurants. Having appeared on top shows, such as Top Chef, and attending food events, such as the renowned Taste of the World, Areej is a successful chef with a lot to offer in the kitchen.
 

Saudi Chef

Samira Sadiq


Samira knows how to make you have fun in the kitchen, bringing her joyful personality to the kitchen. She spent years mastering her way of cooking and is now one of the greatest chefs in the country, about to open her restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Chef

Ghofran AlRomaihy


Chef Chofran is a passionate Saudi chef and entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and pastry chef at Gourmet Pioneers Company and owner of the brand “SESAM”, a bakery, pastry shop and cafe. She also blogs and shares her food diaries and recipes with followers.

Saudi Chef

Arwa Ali


Arwa is a talented head chef and trainer. She also develops restaurants and cafes and innovative food. She holds a food and beverage production diploma from the HTMI Academy and over five years of professional experience.
Flavours of AlUla

Sensory Experiences

Eating food is a powerful sensory experience - one of the most multisensory activities we as humans engage in multiple times per day. Our enjoyment of food and flavour are all formulated in our minds based on what we see, smell, taste, feel and hear. Flavours of AlUla designed multiple experiences to test the senses.

Black Box Experience

Participants enhanced their senses in this unique blindfolded experience. By eliminating the sense of sight, your sense of smell and taste are heightened, changing your perception of the food you’re tasting.

Guess the Smell

Participants walked along a path lined with mystery boxes, each filled with a distinct scent, testing their sense of smell with the likes of cinnamon, cardamom, lavender, moringa and more.

Food & Beverage

Sweet Crepes

Various colourful crepes with delicious fillings meet local AlUla ingredients at Sweet Crepes. Matcha-flavoured crepes combine traditional Japanese flavours with a European flair.

Delightful Dumplings

Enjoy the diverse, rich flavours of AlUla ingredients wrapped in colourful dumplings. Mix and match Asian or Arab-inspired dumplings, including sesame chicken, cheese and mixed vegetables.

Bubble Tea

Floral notes and deep spice tones fill the palate of these refreshing teas. Hot or cold, enjoy a variety of drinks, from classic karak tea or the AlUla-inspired orange flavours.

Sandwiches & Hot Dogs

Juicy hot dogs, cheesy rainbow sandwiches and a selection of colourful potatoes will be served with different spices and sauces inspired by AlUla ingredients.

Organic Bowls

Highlighting the fresh, organic produce of AlUla, discover exotic bowls of mango, passion fruit, and acai or the more savoury flavours of avocado and oats.

Tasty Rolls

Bite into freshness with rolls inspired by far eastern cuisine. Delight in new flavour combinations, such as vegan rice rolls or AlUla veggie rolls.

Cloudi Ice Cream

Eye-catching colours and unique, AlUla-inspired flavours, featuring AlUla oranges and dates, make this ice cream stall unforgettable.

Workshops

Learning more about citrus, moringa or making sushi, these masterclasses and workshops had participants diving deep into AlUla’s budding culinary scene.

All About Citrus

Participants learned how to make an antioxidant tea from orange peels or a scented face mask to make their skin shine.

10 Ways to Use Moringa Powder

An organic superfood found in AlUla, the moringa plant is packed with iron, calcium, antioxidants, and more.

Cooking with Hot Sand

Participants learned how to cook tender meat or parchment-protected fish on hot sand within a few minutes.

Kitchen Hacks

Time-saving and life-changing kitchen hacks were taught in this workshop that participants could start implementing in their kitchen immediately.

The Art of Sushi Rolling

In this masterclass, participants learned the art of sushi rolling and the ability to make their own sushi at home.

Food as an Art

Discover the visual aspect of food presentation that plays a key role in pulling all five senses into the experience of eating.

Mystery Box Competition

Supervised by a head chef, participants took part in this mystery box cooking competition with ingredients from AlUla.

Edible Pottery

Participants learned how to make their own seasonal spoons, plates and cups by using fruits and vegetables.

Truffle Trouble

Participants learned how to make truffles infused with flavours from AlUla in an easy and fun way, with a professional chef.

Glamorous Cakes

Participants decorated gorgeous cakes like a professional in this exciting workshop.

Kids' Workshops

From making banana sushi to silly smiley face sandwiches, these workshops had the children excited to be at the festival and ready to explore further into the world of food.

Mac & Cheese

The goal of this workshop was to give children general information on how to make a complete dish, taught them how to control ingredients, and also introduced them to kitchen tools and what they are used for.

Smiley Sandwiches

This workshop helped children with how to use their creative imagination in making a sandwich while learning kitchen skills and safety tips for using kitchen tools.

Banana Sushi

This workshop enabled parents and children to change their ideas about snack time, as they learned how to present fruits in a new way. By using a variety of fillings each child was able to create their own delicious Banana Sushi masterpiece.

Cookie Monsters

Children created different characters with the cookie ingredients and decorations, using their imagination and creativity under the supervision of a professional chef.

Honey Lollipops

Children learned how to make these easy honey lollipops under the supervision of a professional chef and were able to taste and take home their creations.

Hero Sauces

This unique workshop for kids taught them how to make different types of dipping sauces inspired by AlUla to enjoy with their side dishes.

Interactive Activities

The Legacy Tree

Family recipes that have been passed down throughout the generations are about much more than just food—they’re about who created the recipes and the culture they can be traced to. Unique recipes were shared by writing, hanging and exchanging them on the Legacy Tree.

Fruit Decoration

Dried fruits and spices can make beautiful, natural decorations. Participants learned how to combine dehydrated citrus and cinnamon sticks to create their own decorative piece.

Kids’ Recreational Area

This kids’ area let children play with their food – literally. From edible tic-tac-toe and checkers games to salt’n sweet roulette, we made food fun.

Flavours of AlUla

Winter at Tantora 22 Dec - 21 Jan

The highly anticipated Winter at Tantora, the very first music and culture festival in the Kingdom, returns for its fourth edition. Featuring intimate concerts with world-renowned musicians and hosts multiple events across heritage, gastronomy and more, experience the best of AlUla.

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Festival Events

TEMPORARILY CLOSED Hot Air Balloons in AlUla & Khaybar

Offering a bird’s-eye view of the otherworldly landscapes of AlUla and Khaybar, this hot air balloon experience is an absolute must when visiting the region. The diverse colours and vistas of the tethered and untethered flights will make for beautiful photographs and unforgettable memories.

Be the first to know when this experience returns – follow @alulamoments and @experiencealula on all social channels.
 

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Plan Your Trip To AlUla

Flying to AlUla

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What to Do

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Where to Eat

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Where to Stay

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