Marriott International on the Hunt for the Next Big UAE Foodies

Marriott International has today announced the launch of a nationwide competition to discover and champion the next generation of ‘foodies’ in the UAE. As one of the leading restaurant and bar operators in the Middle East and Africa, Marriott International offers an incredibly diverse range of dining and social experiences with more than 350 outlets to choose from in the UAE alone.

Today, the group is on the hunt for the next big ‘foodies,’ talented enthusiasts who have the drive to be the voice of what’s trending on the dining and social scene in the Emirates. The winners will become exclusive insiders for sharing their experiences of eating out and socializing across Marriott International’s hundreds of destinations in the UAE. 

Marriott International is inviting interested foodies to post a 30 second video entry of what makes them the next UAE foodie on their own social channels, using #MoreCravingsMEA – is it a passion for great food,  an eye for the latest trends, culinary critique, great storytelling or just  an appetite to be in the spotlight sharing what makes a memorable experience. Each winner will be the first to enjoy a wide range of restaurant and bar experiences, which they can blog about from their own perspective.

“We are on the hunt for the nation’s hidden foodies, talented local residents who can share and critique their first-hand experience of our vibrant restaurants and bars across the UAE. It’s exciting to be launching a campaign to champion this talent - their reviews will have the power to inspire international visitors and local residents on where to book their next great experience with us,” said Christian Abell, Vice President of F&B Operations, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International.

The grand prize for the final winner is a two night culinary experience for two to a mystery destination including flights and accommodation at one of Marriott International’s hotels.

“We are committed to delivering memorable experiences across all our outlets, whether a casual café, exquisite destination restaurant or bustling bar. With over 200 nationalities residing in the UAE, Marriott international offers a memorable taste for everyone,” he continued.

The competition launches today 20th November, and will run for 8 weeks in three phases. After the first phase, entrants will be shortlisted to the second phase where they will be able to review restaurants or bars in one of the five categories: Luxury Dining and Fine Casual, Family-friendly, Brunch, Casual and Cafes, and Bars.

The More Cravings competition will be judged by an esteemed panel of culinary experts including Samantha Wood, founder of impartial restaurant review website FooDiva; Nathalie Shariat, Radio Presenter, Dubai 92; Suzanne Husseini, TV chef, Hessa Al Khalifa, founder of HK Finds, Christian Abell, Vice President of F&B Operations, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International; Tom Egerton, Executive Chef, Grosvenor House & Le Royal Meridien Dubai; and Nick Patmore, Director of F&B, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai.

The competition is open to all UAE residents and the deadline for the first phase submissions is 27 November, 2018. For more information visit: https://www.morecravings.com/finding-foodies.

More Cravings is a new website featuring all of Marriott International’s restaurants and bars in the UAE, making it simple for everyone to discover great experiences at the click of a button.

More Cravings competition guidelines

An esteemed judging panel will review and shortlist 15 foodies from the first phase of the competition with a set marking criteria. The second phase of the competition will give the shortlisted foodies a task related to their submission category. Foodies will then be shortlisted and judged and a winner will be selected in each of the food experience categories. The foodies will be identified as Marriott International’s food ambassadors. Marriott International will provide exciting restaurant and bar opportunities and will champion the next foodies in the region as they become a trusted source of information on the new More Cravings website.