If Salalah wasn’t already on your foodie map, it’s about to be. This November, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara brings back its Culinary Festival, serving up a month-long event that sees frankincense, fresh food, and Michelin stars all sharing the same plate.
Backed by Experience Oman, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Dhofar Municipality, and Amouage, the festival fuses serious culinary star power with the bold flavours and timeless traditions that make Oman unlike anywhere else.
Now in its fourth year, the Al Baleed Culinary Festival is shaking things up for 2025 with a fresh new format. This time, the resort’s own culinary stars are stepping into the spotlight alongside big-name guest chefs from Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe.
The international line-up includes two of Europe’s most decorated chefs, Jacob Jan Boerma from the Netherlands who will headline a Symphony of Taste on November 12th, and Christian Jürgens from Germany who takes the stage with the Pursuit of Excellence on November 15th, both of whom will be plating up four-course menus at Mekong.
Joining the festival is Executive Chef Marco Van Rutten from Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam. With experience in Michelin-starred kitchens across Europe, Chef Marco brings extra flair to the festival, and a touch of Amsterdam to Salalah’s shores.
For a taste of Al Baleed’s own culinary stars, Chef Raveevan Kahawan will be hosting her five-course Taste of Mekong dinners, while Chef Sufian Akhtar takes diners down the Spice Route with flavours from the subcontinent. Over at Al Mina, Chef Andrea Carrone will host Taste of the Arabian Ocean with handmade pastas, autumn salads, and catch of the day from the Dhofar coast.
And for those who love an authentic experience, Omani Nights, created by Chefs Ammar Al Harthi and Khalood Abdullah Jamaan Khazana, serve up four courses of homegrown dishes, accompanied by live music and traditional entertainment.
From Fine Dining to Frankincense
One of the Al Baleed Culinary Festival’s standout events is the Frankincense Experience, that begins on the resort’s organic farm and ends at the table, passing the spa on it’s way. Guests can wander through the frankincense groves, learn how the ancient resin shaped Oman’s trade routes, unwind with a frankincense inspired signature spa ritual, then sit down to a farm-to-table lunch at Al Mina cooked with that morning’s harvest. Wellness, culture, and cuisine rolled into one.
On 14 November, the festival hits its high note with the Al Baleed Kitchen Party, an open-air evening where chefs cook, perform and mingle. Guests can choose from live stations, sample creations hot off the grill, and soak up the carnival atmosphere.
Festival Highlights from Al Baleed’s Culinary Masters
Chef Raveevan Kahawan
Taste of Mekong: Five-course set menu on 3, 10 and 17 November at Mekong
Far East Night Buffet: Flavours from across Asia on 5 and 19 November
Chef Sufian Akhtar
Flavours of the Spice Route: A vibrant buffet and live stations celebrating the subcontinent’s spices at Sakalan on 4, 11 and 18 November
Chef Andrea Carrone
Taste of the Arabian Ocean — À la carte seafood showcase with handmade pastas, autumn salads and farm vegetables at Al Mina on 6 and 20 November
Chefs Ammar Al Harthi & Khalood Abdullah Jamaan Khazana
Omani Nights: Four-course menu honouring local heritage, enhanced by traditional entertainment, at Sakalan on 7 and 21 November
Head Pastry Chef Khin Hnin Aung
The creative force behind every dessert and pastry, ensuring each evening ends on a sweet note.
Prices start from OMR 20 (AED 190) for themed dining nights, OMR 55 (AED 524) for Michelin-starred dinners, and OMR 69 (AED 650) for the full Frankincense Experience.
