Among the features of the past Fairs has been the inclusion of a demonstration kitchen run by the kindly people of the Gourmand Book Awards. It’s easily among the most internationally diverse forums at ADIBF. There’s the administrators — Bo and K.C., both Swedes, and the chefs: Chakall from Argentina/Portugal/Germany; Chef Wan, from Malaysia — who has just received the honorific of “Datuk,” which is the Malaysian equivalent of “Sir,” Chef Salma Hussein from India (who dances and cooks at the same time); and UAE TV cooking show star Suzanna Hussein. What’s more, it’s perhaps the only time at a book fair when you’ve had three different ambassadors cooking for the crowd, in this case, Switzerland Turkey, Argentina and the UN Representative to the UAE. Talk about a smorgasbord. –Edward Nawotka