Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced a $100m Culinary Investment Fund to introduce iconic restaurant brands to the UAE capital. Additionally, the fund will support building and establishing a Culinary School to recruit and train staff in the sector.

The school will also have a core curriculum and offer two degree programmes that will focus on maritime sustainability and food security.

The newly launched Abu Dhabi Culinary Investment Fund (ADCIF) is set to elevate the capital’s culinary scene by co-investing with partners, incentivising top chefs, restaurants and culinary institutions.

Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism, DCT Abu Dhabi said, “The Abu Dhabi Culinary Investment Fund is part of our ongoing commitment to elevate the culinary scene across the emirate and create new dining experiences. There is no better time or place to bring best-in-class chefs, restaurants, and hotel brands to the capital. This fund, in combination with the Culinary School will ensure that Abu Dhabi appeals to even more visitors around the world, who can experience increasingly diverse and high-quality dining in the emirate, centred on our tradition of Emirati hospitality.”

The fund is set to announce the first two recipients of the newly launched Abu Dhabi Culinary Investment Fund in the coming months.

The Michelin Guide was launched earlier in Abu Dhabi, with 42 restaurants across awarded across the city.