Abu Dhabi, Get Ready to Turn Up the Heat
Get ready to experience a bold celebration of food, fire, and flavour as the legendary Steve Harvey returns with his much-anticipated Open Fire Food Festival. After a massively successful run last year, the global icon and TV personality is bringing back this sizzling event to Abu Dhabi—and it promises to be bigger, bolder, and even more unforgettable than before.
Held in the heart of the UAE capital, the Open Fire Food Festival isn’t just another foodie event. It’s a vibrant fusion of world-class live-fire cooking, rich cultural entertainment, and a feast for every single sense. Whether you’re a passionate foodie, a curious explorer, or someone simply looking for a fun day out, this festival is designed to bring people together in a warm, welcoming, and flavourful atmosphere.
Steve Harvey’s Passion Beyond the Stage
Most know Steve Harvey for his infectious humour, magnetic personality, and wildly successful shows. But fewer are aware of his deep-rooted love for food, culture, and bringing people together. For Steve, the Open Fire Food Festival is more than a weekend event—it’s a personal passion project.
Inspired by his own experiences growing up around southern-style grilling and family cookouts, Steve wanted to recreate that sense of joy, warmth, and storytelling through food. And where better to do that than in the multicultural, hospitality-driven city of Abu Dhabi?
The UAE has become a second home for Steve Harvey in many ways. His deep respect for Emirati culture, his appreciation for Middle Eastern hospitality, and his eagerness to bridge cultures have made this food festival a beautiful celebration of unity through food.
Fire, Flavour, and Food Like Never Before
The Open Fire Food Festival is not your average gathering of food trucks and stalls. This is a full-blown celebration of open-fire cooking techniques from around the world—each bringing its own unique touch, smoky flavours, and unforgettable aromas.
Imagine watching globally renowned pitmasters and chefs prepare meals right in front of your eyes over glowing coals and flaming grills. Picture tasting dishes that are charred to perfection, slow-smoked with care, and presented with pride. From Middle Eastern kebabs to American barbecue, from Latin American street food to sizzling Asian bites—every corner of the festival is a journey in itself.
What truly sets this event apart is the atmosphere. You’re not just eating; you’re engaging with the chefs, learning about their cultures, and hearing the stories behind each dish. The Open Fire Food Festival makes food personal again.
A Weekend of Star Power and Entertainment
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Steve Harvey event without a generous dose of entertainment. Expect celebrity chef appearances, cooking battles, live performances, and even a few surprise moments from Steve himself.
Last year’s event saw crowds roaring with laughter and joy as Steve made his way through the festival, cracking jokes, chatting with guests, and sharing his favourite dishes. He doesn’t just host the event—he lives it. That down-to-earth charm and approachability are what make this festival feel more like a giant family reunion than a commercial event.
This year, visitors can expect even more curated experiences. Think live music under the stars, cultural performances from around the world, and family-friendly zones where kids can engage with interactive cooking experiences of their own.
Why Abu Dhabi?
You might wonder—why has Steve Harvey chosen Abu Dhabi as the permanent home of this fiery food celebration?
The answer lies in Abu Dhabi’s unique blend of tradition, innovation, and diversity. The capital has positioned itself as a global hub for culture, tourism, and hospitality. With its stunning backdrops, rich heritage, and an ever-growing appetite for global cuisine, Abu Dhabi offers the perfect canvas for a festival that’s all about food and people.
Steve has often spoken about how welcomed he feels in the UAE. The warmth of the people, the safety, the inclusivity—it all adds to the magic. Hosting the Open Fire Food Festival here isn’t just strategic; it’s sentimental.
More Than Food: A Celebration of Community
At its heart, the Open Fire Food Festival is a celebration of connection. In a world that often feels divided, Steve Harvey has created an experience that cuts across backgrounds, nationalities, and age groups.
Here, strangers become friends over a shared love for smoky ribs. Families laugh together while watching live flame-grilling demonstrations. And chefs from vastly different parts of the world find common ground around the fire.
This is food doing what it does best—bringing people together. And Steve, with his signature charisma, ensures that the environment stays as real, joyful, and soulful as possible.
What to Expect This Year
With anticipation already building, this year’s edition promises new layers of excitement.
There will be more culinary zones than ever before, each dedicated to a different region of the world. Think North African tagines slow-cooked over coals, Southeast Asian skewers marinated in spices, and classic American backyard-style grills turned gourmet.
Workshops and live demos will also be a bigger focus. Food lovers will get a chance to learn fire-cooking techniques, meat-smoking secrets, and even how to make flame-grilled vegetarian dishes that pack a punch.
There’s also a greater focus on sustainability this year. From eco-friendly utensils to ethical sourcing of ingredients, the festival aims to show that good food can also be good for the planet.
For the Love of Real Food
In a world increasingly obsessed with speed and convenience, Steve Harvey’s Open Fire Food Festival brings us back to the roots of real cooking—slow, intentional, and from the heart.
This event isn’t about fancy plating or molecular gastronomy. It’s about the simple, powerful pleasure of food cooked over a flame, shared in good company, with music in the background and laughter in the air.
And perhaps that’s what makes this festival so magnetic. It’s not just about the fire on the grills—it’s about the fire it lights in your soul.
Mark Your Calendar
If you missed the Open Fire Food Festival last time, don’t make the same mistake again. This is more than a food event—it’s an experience, a memory-maker, and a reminder of how beautiful life can be when we gather, share, and celebrate what unites us.
Whether you come for the food, the culture, the people, or to catch a glimpse of Steve Harvey doing what he does best—you’ll leave with a full belly and an even fuller heart.
So, roll up your sleeves, bring your appetite, and get ready to fire things up in Abu Dhabi. Steve Harvey is back, and this time, the fire’s burning brighter than ever.
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