Tourism & Hospitality | Saturday 8 September, 2018 1:32 pm |

Following a successful debut in 2017, GulfHost is set to return with exciting new features, innovative technologies and industry-defining trends.

Having established itself as the complete hospitality equipment sourcing expo for the Middle East, Africa and Asia, the second edition of Gulfhost will feature more than 8,000 products and 2,500 brands across six core sectors. Taking place from 30 October – 1 November at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), GulfHost 2018 will give key hospitality decision makers and visitors a distinct industry advantage with access to the hottest food trends impacting the F&B sector.

Among the trends that will be front and centre at the three-day show include:

Compact kitchens

As all players in the foodservice and hospitality industry around the world seek increased efficiency and profitability, a growing trend among operators is dedicating more space to front-of-house dining covers where higher revenues can be achieved. This has created a growing market for productive yet compact back-of-house equipment that utilises and justifies every inch of cooking and prep space. These small-scale solutions are also essential for the growing number of pop-up restaurants and food trucks on the scene, where limited space comes with the territory.

Smart Cooking

Technology is now playing a dominant role in the kitchen and its operations, GulfHost will highlight the latest foodtech solutions designed to assist chefs in the kitchen that help them function, prepare and operate in a better, faster and efficient way.

Streamlined Spaces

In a restaurant kitchen, every inch of a work station counts for a chef in order to maximise of the available space and get the most effective results. GulfHost will showcase a wide range of innovations that facilitates F&B operators to meet the needs for enhanced kitchen aesthetics.

Food Smoking

With customers increasingly demanding a wider variety of menu choices, hot and cold food smoking across a range of categories is an emerging trend. GulfHost will offer a variety of solutions to one of the hottest food trend for customer who enjoy adventurous eating.

Middle Eastern Flavours and Formats

Street food and on-the-go convenience snacks continue to reflect a certain ‘avant-garde’ mood amongst consumers in the Middle East and beyond. Traditional staples such as doner kebabs, shawarmas and gyros are enjoying something of a resurgence and are on the industry’s radar as a food choice of the moment. These traditional Middle Eastern and European dietary favourites are inspiring new restaurant openings across the United States, Canada and beyond. Visitors to GulfHost 2018 should look out for vegan and phosphate-free varieties that are currently growing in popularity among health-conscious consumers.

Natural and Organic Tableware

With more consumers conscious of their environmental impact, nature is now front of mind in food supply chain. According to trend forecasters WGSN, natural elements and materials are now influencing tableware patterns, textures and materials hospitality and foodservice leaders seek more sustainable solutions to meet consumer demand. GulfHost 2018 will highlight how this 'au naturel' vibe of the moment includes anything that looks like it could have been handcrafted, from uneven contours and imperfect finishes to stone washing and wood, both natural and mock.