Celebrity chef Curtis Stone heads for Abu Dhabi

And Stone, the host of the USA's most popular reality TV cooking show 'Take Home Chef' and the author and presenter of Australia's highly successful cooking lifestyle -programme 'Surfing The Menu,' says he's getting all excited about his trip to the UAE.

"I can't wait to get there," said Stone, who was voted by People Magazine as "one of the sexiest men alive."

"And I can't wait to discover the flavours and culture of Abu Dhabi first hand," said Stone who trained in London under the legendary chef Marco Pierre White and sprang to fame during stints at London's Café Royal, Quo Vadis and Chelsea's Bluebird Club.

Up to 150 food lovers and connoisseurs will have the chance to sample Stone's creations in a one-night only 'Evening With Curtis Stone' celebrity dinner at the Shangri-la Hotel Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi on February 11th. Curtis plans, he says, to demonstrate why cooking is "one of life's great pleasures."

The 'Evening With Curtis Stone' is one of 40 events in the Gourmet Abu Dhabi programme, which runs throughout 13 premier venues across the UAE capital from February 5-14. It is is aimed at positioning the emirate as a global gourmet destination and in prompting greater cross-cultural culinary dialogue.

"Curtis is the face of a new generation of chefs and his stated willingness to embrace the elements of Middle Eastern cuisine will greatly assist our aim influencing the future creations of these international stars of the culinary world," said Nasser Al Reyami, Director Tourism Standards, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which is presenting Gourmet Abu Dhabi.