What The Food’s fifth edition takes place at Alserkal Avenue on 31 October and 1 November 2026.
Curated by Leen Al Zaben, the Khubz wa Milh theme celebrates food, hospitality and shared traditions.
Highlights include Aline Kamakian’s opening keynote, creative workshops and a textile installation by Nour Hage.
The festival’s fifth edition celebrates bread, salt and the joy of sharing a table on 31 October and 1 November 2026.
Pull up a chair. What The Food is returning to Alserkal Avenue, and this year, the table itself takes centre stage. Running on 31 October and 1 November 2026, the festival’s fifth edition explores the connections between food, culture and community through conversations, workshops, art, film and shared culinary experiences.
Presented in strategic partnership with Dubai Eats, the festival is curated by Leen Al Zaben under the theme Khubz wa Milh, meaning bread and salt. The idea draws on a familiar expression of Arab hospitality, recognising the bond formed when people share a meal. It also feels fitting for Dubai, where food traditions from around the world meet and evolve alongside Emirati culture.
Opening the festival is Aline Kamakian, founder of Armenian restaurant Mayrig. Her keynote will consider how food can safeguard cultural identity and support communities, drawing on her Armenian heritage and experience feeding people during times of crisis. On the second day, Nazek Al Sabbagh, founder of Malleh Gourmet, joins Al Zaben to discuss maleh, the salted, sun-dried fish preparation, and the future of this Emirati culinary tradition.
Elsewhere, filmmaker and storyteller Nadir Nahdi will deliver a lecture performance exploring identity, heritage and belonging, while Emirati poet and artist Shamma Al Bastaki joins a conversation at Concrete.
At the heart of the action, a large communal table in The Yard will host daily workshops and give visitors somewhere to eat, exchange ideas and meet the people behind the programme.
Caroline Petit-Mason’s A Collective Table invites participants to build on one another’s ideas through a collaborative porcelain workshop. Hikma Rituals co-founder Shereen Al Mulla will explore culinary plants and herbal medicine in Plants You Can Eat, Medicines You Can Taste. Meanwhile, House of Habanero founder Faisal Al Mutairi and Peruvian chef Roberto Segura will guide guests through creating their own version of the sauce traditionally served with anticuchos.
“The programme invites people to come together, break bread and learn something new. It looks at food, but also at the ecosystems, heritage, traditions, artisans, and people that bring it to life. At its heart is the long table, where guests can sit alongside the makers, exchange ideas, and experience these different practices together” said Leen Al Zaben.
The festivities start early with Off The Menu, a series of experiences across Alserkal Avenue on 17 and 18 October and 24 and 25 October 2026. Highlights include salsa and guacamole making with Lila Molino, a sourdough workshop by Subko, and Kave’s Our Mother’s Recipes Supper Club. Further activations will involve House of Habanero, Maison Etherique and Cinema Akil, offering plenty of reasons to visit before the main weekend.
Where: Alserkal Avenue, 17th Street, Al Quoz, Dubai
When: 31 October and 1 November 2026
Contact: https://alserkal.online