A Feast for the Senses

Jeddah's historic waterfront came alive with the aromas and flavors of Saudi Arabia's 13 regional cuisines during the inaugural Saudi Culinary Festival. Over 200 chefs — from Michelin-starred international names to village grandmothers keeping traditional recipes alive — showcased the extraordinary diversity of Saudi food culture.

Regional Highlights

• Hijaz (Jeddah/Makkah) — Saleeg, mutabbaq, and Hijazi mansaf
• Najd (Riyadh) — Kabsa, jareesh, and traditional Najdi bread
• Eastern Province — Machboos, harees, and fresh Gulf seafood
• Asir — Aseeda, mashar, and mountain honey dishes
• Jazan — Mofallat, seafood rice, and tropical fruit desserts
• Northern Regions — Bedouin zarb and herb-infused desert cuisine

Cooking Competitions

The festival featured three major competitions: Best Traditional Dish, Innovation Award for modern interpretations of Saudi classics, and the People's Choice Award voted on by 50,000 festival attendees. The grand prize of SAR 500,000 went to a 75-year-old grandmother from Asir for her traditional aseeda with mountain honey.

Food Tourism

Saudi food tourism is valued at SAR 15 billion annually. The Ministry of Tourism plans to establish a "Saudi Food Trail" connecting 50 heritage restaurants across the Kingdom, with an accompanying app and guidebook launching later this year.