Press release and images on Two National Winners for the UAE at Dilmah RHT Challenge UAE 2014 from Dilmah

12 teams took to stage yesterday at the Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge UAE 2014 for a fantastic and innovative display of tea inspired culinary showmanship. At the end of the day, not one but two teams were declared National Winners.

Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, represented by Pastry Chef Dammika Herath and Team Leader Lloyd Aleta, and Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa- Oman, represented by Service Leader- Culinary Alpesh Dias and Service Leader- F&B Service Sunil Kumar Puzhakkaldam Kulapura, walked away with the highest honours of the event being declared the Joint National Winners by the panel of judges.
Held at the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) Dubai this the 2nd time the Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge has been conducted in the UAE. The Challenge was created by Dilmah, the Sri Lankan family tea company, to put the tea back in high tea. It aims to involve and initiate a new generation of culinary and mixology professionals to the amazing world of tea in which lies limitless possibilities as an essential ingredient adding a new dimension to the flavourful experiences they create.

The UAE Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge was conducted in affiliation with the Emirates Culinary Guild and the WorldChefs. The panel of judges of made up of three of the masters in the tea and culinary trade: Namely the President of the Emirates Culinary Guild Chef Uwe Micheel, one of the top WorldChefs judges and Sydney Taylor Memorial Black Hat Chef Bernd Uber and the Director Marketing Dilmah Tea and Director School of Tea Dilhan C. Fernando.
The Challenge is endorsed by the WorldChefs and has been conducted in multiple countries across the world. The winning teams from Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek and Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa ' Oman will join the national winners from the rest of the world at the Dilmah Real High Tea Global Challenge in May 2015 in Sri Lanka where the ultimate challenge for the quintessential 21st Century Real High Tea will take place.

Watch this space for the Real High Tea recipes of the winning teams. Join us on Dilmah Tea Gastronomy and Dilmah Official Tea Club for event updates, photos and more.