Emirati Cuisine Documented in Landmark Publication Launched During Global Food Week
The Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award has unveiled a comprehensive bilingual volume preserving the nation's rich culinary heritage, featuring 76 authenticated recipes and the stories behind Emirati traditions passed down through generations.
A significant milestone in the preservation of Emirati cultural heritage was marked this week with the launch of Emirati Cuisine: A Culinary Memory. A Timeless Heritage, a meticulously researched publication documenting the depth and diversity of the nation’s traditional food culture. The book’s unveiling took place during Global Food Week in Abu Dhabi, under the auspices of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) and the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award.
The publication represents far more than a collection of recipes. Across its pages lie 76 documented Emirati dishes, presented in both Arabic and English, each accompanied by the cultural context, preparation methods and historical significance that have shaped the Emirati table. Organised into five thematic sections—Fawala, Meat, Poultry, From the Sea, and From the Bounty of Our Land—the book reflects the profound connection between Emirati cuisine and the nation’s natural environment, resources and time-honoured community values.
A collaborative endeavour rooted in authenticity
The creation of this definitive culinary reference was achieved through extensive collaboration between ADAFSA, the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority and the National Library and Archives. The project brought together distinguished Emirati chefs Mariam Al Mansouri, Musabah Al Kaabi, Ahmed Darweesh, Meera Al Naqbi and Faisal Al Harmoudi, alongside culinary heritage specialists, to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of every recipe and its cultural narrative.
His Excellency Dr Tarek Ahmed Al Ameri, Acting Director General of ADAFSA, emphasised the initiative’s significance: “Emirati cuisine is an integral part of our national identity and collective memory. It is the product of a longstanding relationship between people and their land, sea and local resources. Through this book, we seek to document this heritage and pass it on to future generations in a way that preserves its authenticity and introduces it to a wider audience both within the UAE and abroad.”
Preserving stories beneath the surface
His Excellency Mubarak Ali Al Qusaili Al Mansouri, Adviser to the Director General of ADAFSA and head of the publication team, underscored the project’s deeper mission: “We wanted this book to go beyond the concept of a recipe book and serve as a reference that preserves the memory of the Emirati table, with all the details, values and customs passed down through generations. A traditional dish is more than just ingredients and a method of preparation; behind every dish lies a story, a place and a collective memory.”
This philosophy permeates the publication, which recognises that Emirati culinary traditions carry within them narratives of environmental adaptation, agricultural innovation and resourcefulness developed across generations. Each dish documents not merely how to prepare food, but why these particular preparations became central to Emirati identity.
An immersive launch celebration
The book’s launch ceremony transcended the traditional presentation format, offering a multisensory experience. Alongside the official unveiling, attendees witnessed visual presentations exploring the project’s development, participated in author book-signing sessions, and observed live cooking demonstrations showcasing recipes featured within the volume. This experiential approach embodied the publication’s philosophy that Emirati cuisine cannot be fully understood through text alone, but demands engagement with preparation, presentation and community.
Now available in both Arabic and English editions, the publication serves a dual purpose: enabling Arabic-speaking readers to reconnect with family traditions and culinary memory, whilst introducing international audiences to an authentic dimension of Emirati culture rarely documented with such comprehensive scholarly rigour and cultural sensitivity.
The initiative aligns with ADAFSA’s broader strategic framework to advance awareness of agriculture and food’s role in sustainable development, whilst simultaneously fulfilling a cultural imperative to ensure that knowledge systems embedded in traditional cuisine do not fade with generational transition.
Source: Abu Dhabi Media Office