Create the Perfect Christmas Menu with Chef Middle East’s Gourmet Festive Ingredients

Featuring warm mince pies pulled straight from the oven, crispy golden turkey, lashing of gravy and all the nibbles, cakes and sweet treats you could ever desire, Christmas is a time for eating, feasting and celebrating with loved ones.

Here, at Chef Middle East, the festive season is one of our favourite periods of the year and we are so excited for Christmas 2023. As the Middle East’s restaurants, bars and hotels pull out all the stops to prepare lavish feasts, parties, and family dinners for their guests, we work night and day to support the local hospitality industry and ensure that every guest experiences a magical Christmas celebration.

As one of the most joyful occasions on the calendar, the festive period is filled with excitement and nostalgia. While families and friends come together to exchange gifts, catch up and celebrate, it’s also an opportunity for chefs to get creative in the kitchen, and to enjoy pouring all their skills and talents into crafting spectacular Christmas specialties. Watching guests bond and create special memories over your culinary creations is a wonderful feeling, and Chef Middle East is here to help you create your merriest Christmas menu yet.

Containing an extraordinary number of premium quality Christmas ingredients, Chef Middle East’s annual Christmas Catalogue is considered every chef’s seasonal must-have. Guaranteed to spark inspiration and creativity, it is a timeless tribute to the precious traditions of the festive period. Available across the UAE, Oman, and Qatar, it contains all you need to create the perfect Christmas menu.

Brimming with the magic and traditions of Christmas, the catalogue spans everything from Christmas Day catering essentials to gourmet festive ingredients such as fresh seafood, condiments, cheeses, and beverages.

Whether you’re after some inspiration for your tempting starters, succulent meats for a festive roast or ideas for your refreshing festive beverages, our Christmas Catalogue has every part of the Christmas menu covered.

In this blog, we will explore some of the many highlights of our delightful Christmas Catalogue, and explore why it seamlessly embodies the joys of the season.

 

Artisan festive ingredients

The ‘Christmas Speciality’ section is filled with festive favourites that all your diners will indulge in.

Our Walker’s Scottish mince pies are bound to evoke fond Christmas memories, while our Walker’s traditional Christmas pudding is the ultimate centerpiece for every Christmas dining table. Meanwhile, our authentic Scottish Christmas Marmalade from Mackays invites chefs to infuse a burst of Christmas spirit into all kinds of desserts.

We have also brought Germany’s finest Christmas baking to the Middle East with our Wicklein golden gingerbread and authentic butter almond or marzipan stollen from Kuchenmeister.

For many guests, the best part of Christmas is the parties and festive catch ups with friends. Our fabulous selection of aged European cheeses is ideal to complement your cheese board platters, serving to sophisticated groups at fine dining outlets, or al fresco Christmas drinks. While our traditional festive British Wensleydale cheese with cranberries is an essential edition to every Christmas cheese board, our rich French brie from Payson Breton, luxurious Castello Danish Blue and other premium cheeses are perfect for pairing with a festive tipple or two. In fact, every cheese lover is sure to be blown away by our magnificent collection.

 

Meat and poultry

Nothing embodies the classic image of Christmas like a heartwarming roasted turkey with all the trimmings or a succulent smoked duck breast, perfectly prepared from Chef Middle East’s premium selection.

Our premium poultry products aren’t the only options for your wholesome Christmas main courses. We encourage our clients to mix up their festive offerings and try alternative delicious options such as flaky, tender and beautifully golden beef wellington.

Made from our Australian beef tenderloin, you can make this melt-in-the-mouth specialty extra lavish by adding a sprinkle of our whole black Italian truffle.

 

Seafood

Our luxurious oysters are ideal for elegant Christmas starters.

Sample the bounty of the sea with our premium Cadoret Oysters or treat your guests to the flavours of luxury with our immaculate range from Kaspian Caviar. For a truly amazing Christmas appetiser that’s made to share and enjoy family style, you can always concoct a magnificent seafood platter from our oysters, mussels, clams, and langoustines.

 

Gourmet festive sauces

Spanning French mustard, dressings, oils, artisan vinegars, black garlic and much more, our ‘Gourmet & Culinary collection’ provides all the little finishing touches that will make your Christmas menu extra special.

Christmas isn’t Christmas without a scoop of thick and subtly sweet cranberry sauce, and our British cranberry sauce from Brakes is simply superb. Or, for a unique variation on the classic festive condiment, try our Spanish quince jelly from Olmeda.

 

Christmas beverages

Festive dishes always taste extra magical when paired with equally special festive beverages.

We are proud to stock a huge choice of artisan juices, soft drinks, syrups, and cordials that are ideal for creating bespoke Christmas cocktails. Bringing some welcome refreshment and fruity flavours to every festive party or gathering, our premium Christmas beverage products from Fentimans, James White and Juicy are favoured by some of the region’s most talented bartenders and mixologists.

 

For more exciting Christmas menu ideas or to find out more about our full collection of festive ingredients, please email info@chefmiddleeast.com.