Muscat – As part of its efforts to develop culinary tourism and arts, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT)  will hold an event called Omani Culinary Arts Forum on December 13.

The forum will open under the patronage of H H Sayyida Meyyan bint Shihab al Said.

Culinary arts refer to the art of preparation, cooking presentation and service of food. While professionals working in this field – especially in establishments such as restaurants – are commonly called chefs or cooks, they are in essence culinary artist when engaging in their activities at higher and finer levels. 

In a statement, MHT said, ‘The ministry will launch a programme to develop food and culinary arts tourism as part of the implementation of the Oman Tourism Strategy. Omani cuisine is a valuable tourism product that provides authentic and innovative experiences.‘The forum aims to support food tourism and culinary arts, create diverse job opportunities, promote entrepreneurship and local content linked to supply chains, and showcase local culinary arts as a living embodiment of Omani culture and heritage.’

The forum will include initiatives such as documenting Oma-ni cuisine, establishing the Oman Centre for Culinary Arts and supporting local food supply chains.