Delicacies at food festival tantalise taste buds of Islooites

Islamabad : The three-day Islamabad Eat Food festival concluded at the Sports Complex here on Sunday night after successfully bringing comestibles and fun together.

It was the seven edition of the annual event in the capital city with around 60 stalls of desi and continental food put up by young entrepreneurs from across the country, mostly women.

Dishes, snacks, desserts and drinks, especially delicacies from Thailand, China, Middle East, Japan, Koreas, Mexico and Spain, tantalised the taste buds of visitors, mostly families and youth. Enough to enhance the enjoyment of those foodies amid pleasant weather were the high-energy performances by leading singers Hasan Raheem, Shamoon Ismail and Bilal Saeed, and AUR band.

The festival was a crowd puller, according to its chief organiser, Aslam Khan.

He told 'The News' this year's Islamabad East Food festival showcased an inspiring aspect - numerous stalls were operated by young female entrepreneurs and students passionate about cooking, baking, and business management.

"Their [women stallholders] presence added a dynamic and diverse touch to our culinary event," he said.

The organiser insisted that it was truly fulfilling to see young talents all around.

He said the festival provided businesses, home-based chefs, and small-scale vendors from across the country with a good opportunity to showcase and market their menus to a diverse and large audience. Ayesha Afzal, who was part of the organising team, said most stallholders, including women, belonged to Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lah­ore, Karachi and Gil­­git-Ba­ltistan.

She said the event was a blessing for startups. "We came across so many energetic youths, who were keen to create their food businesses," she said, adding that the festival was meant for Pakistani entrepreneurs and not international food businesses. The organiser said amazing music performances by Hasan Raheem, Shamoon Ismail, Bilal Saeed and AUR band made the Islamabad Eat Food a lively and memorable event for visitors, especially youngsters.

Rabia Aman, a mother of five, said she loved to see youth exhibit their cooking abilities.

"For me, it is not just a culinary event. It's a delightful day out with children. It's a true feast," she said.

Another visitor, Rehman Khan, said the festival would inspire the future ventures of stallholders. Nasima Khan, a schoolteacher, said the Islamabad East Festival had a cultural significance as it brought cultures from across the country together. "Such food festivals are a beautiful way to share our diverse cultures, especially through the culinary lens," she said.