Jeddah-Taif Candidate 2027

Jeddah and Taif are two cities in western Saudi Arabia, presented jointly as a World Region of Gastronomy through their complementary landscapes, histories, and food cultures. Jeddah, the historic gateway to the Red Sea, is shaped by centuries of maritime trade, pilgrimage, and cultural exchange, reflected in a cuisine rooted in seafood, spices, and urban hospitality. Taif, set high in the Sarawat mountains, is known for its fertile valleys, cooler climate, and agricultural traditions, producing roses, honey, fruit, dairy, and mountain-grown grains. Together, they form a shared gastronomic narrative where sea and mountain, global influence and local heritage, coexist, celebrating food as a living expression of generosity, identity, and continuity.