In partnership with Expo City Dubai, TGP International is set to launch a first-of-its-kind Festival of Cake, transforming the iconic Al Wasl Plaza into a five-day dessert extravaganza to finish off 2025 in style.
Featuring over 100 live shows, workshops and masterclasses across five days, every element – from hands-on workshops and celebrity chef demos to giant cake installations – is designed to delight the senses and immerse visitors in a sugar-fuelled celebration.
Involved in the concept and programming at all stages, this has been an incredible journey for TGP International, giving us the chance to blend design, branding, F&B curation and events, with expertise pulled from across our teams.
The result will be a multi-sensory celebration of baking and pastry art, described by Fact Magazine as “a delicious experience to wrap up the year” and What’s On as “an extraordinary five-day, multi-sensory event”.
TGP International collaborated closely with Expo City’s entertainment team to transform a simple idea into a spectacular, multi-sensory celebration of dessert culture. The Festival of Cake was imagined as a vibrant showcase of creativity, craftsmanship, and joy—a place where the world of baking comes alive for guests of all ages.
The concept was designed to merge entertainment and education in equal measure, turning every corner into an experience. Our team drew on expertise across F&B experience design, event curation, brand storytelling, and large-scale activations to build a cohesive narrative that connects passion, play, and performance.
From defining the festival’s identity to brand partnerships, every element has been developed to immerse visitors in a “sugar-fuelled extravaganza.”
Guests can explore a vibrant mix of interactive experiences, entertainment, and indulgent dessert concepts designed to surprise and delight at every turn.
The festival also introduces the region’s first ever CAKE PICNIC™, inviting visitors to bring their own creations and join a record-breaking outdoor feast celebrating the universal love of cake.
As a global 360° hospitality agency, we constantly strive to create new and exciting F&B ventures that lead to unforgettable experiences for our customers. The Festival of Cake, with its diverse activities is a testament to this successful collaboration, enabling us to bring a star-studded line-up of chefs and brands to the region.
- Simon Wright, Founder of TGP International
TGP’s multidisciplinary approach combined playful visual design and bold branding with strategic vendor curation, assembling a mix of local heroes and international dessert brands to create a rich, inclusive experience.
Marketing and activation strategies were built in tandem with creative development—ensuring the event captured attention well before opening day and positioned Expo City as a home for innovation, family fun and exceptional F&B experiences.
The result is an event that celebrates the artistry of cake-making and the shared joy of indulgence—uniting creativity, community, and craftsmanship in one unforgettable showcase.
The Festival of Cake was first unveiled in March 2025 at an exclusive launch event held at Expo City Dubai. Designed to offer a glimpse into what is to come, the evening gathered local media and culinary insiders for an immersive introduction to the upcoming five-day festival.
The highlight of the evening was a four-hands, six-course pastry dinner presented by Sahar Parham Al Awadhi, the UAE’s first female pastry chef and MENA’s Best Pastry Chef, together with Chef Janice Wong, one of Asia’s 50 Best from Singapore. Together, they crafted a menu that celebrated artistry, texture and flavour innovation, offering a preview of the creativity that will define the festival.
The centrepiece was the unveiling of a three-metre-tall celebration cake, symbolising the event’s spirit of imagination and craftsmanship. Held beneath the iconic Al Wasl Dome, the evening reflected the festival’s sensory ambition, combining fine pastry with visual spectacle.
While the full programme will debut later this year, the launch captured public imagination and established the Festival of Cake as one of Dubai’s most anticipated new F&B experiences, setting the tone for a celebration where indulgence, innovation and joy take centre stage.
During the Festival of Cake, Expo City’s Al Wasl Plaza will be transformed nightly by choreographed projections and live music, turning the Dome into a canvas of candy-coloured visuals.
The festival spans 110,000 square feet, offering over 100 shows, demos and workshops across three dedicated stages. The Sweet Creations Stage will host technical masterclasses and demos from international talents, the Sprinkles Stage under the Dome will offer headline entertainment including the viral Real or Cake challenge, and the Brew Stage will explore coffee, matcha and dessert pairings.
Central to the experience is the Festival of Cake Bake-Off powered by Bosch, which invites amateur, professional, and junior bakers to compete for the coveted Bake-off title.
Participants will be judged by a panel of pastry stars, with prizes ranging from Bosch equipment to exclusive experiences. Confirmed headliners include Canadian TV baker Anna Olson, British pastry legend Claire Clark MBE, Dominique Ansel Bakery’s Kimberly Lin, and Harrods’ Markus Bohr.
The event is being billed as the region’s largest pastry and confectionery celebration thanks to its global line-up.
In addition to performances, the festival will offer hands-on masterclasses, panel talks, and a sprawling Cakes & Bakes Market featuring local and international dessert brands.
Visitors can also explore immersive features including the Chocomelt Garden, the viral Real or Cake stage challenge by Sugaholic, Dara’s Sprinkles Pool, and the creative Cake Canvas Café.
Beyond the impressive schedule of shows and demos, the Festival of Cake is powered by the personalities and passions of some of the most exciting pastry voices in the world.
Among the international line-up is Anna Olson, the beloved Canadian TV chef bringing decades of baking expertise to the stage, and Nouel Catis, the Dubai-based chocolatier known for his bold, imaginative creations.
From sculptural bakes to science-meets-sponge, the line-up reflects a rich diversity of styles. Zoya Umran crafts cakes that double as stories, while Dr. Susanne Ng, a former scientist, has built a global following with her whimsical 3D chiffon cakes.
Luxury also has its moment, with Markus Bohr, Executive Pastry Chef at Harrods, bringing refined techniques and global perspective, while Sarah Alsughayer, a Chopped winner and fearless UAE-based creator, offers up bold reimaginings of Arabic dessert traditions.
These chefs and many more will share their stories, techniques, and passions live on stage, supported by interviews on The Roots, Expo City’s official blog.
Headliners that rise to the occasion
Leading the lineup is Rich Myers, founder of viral UK dessert empire Get Baked, famous for his 24-layer chocolate icon Bertha. Guests can watch him build it live on stage, layer by layer, in a daily spectacle that blends engineering precision with edible artistry. Joining him is Brooke Bellamy, the powerhouse behind Brooki Bakehouse, Australia’s most-followed dessert brand with over four million fans. Brooke brings her business story to Dubai for the first time with a fireside chat and meet-and-greet on 1 December.
Cake Passport Experience
Guests can pick up their Cake Passport and savour their way around the festival, collecting stamps and enjoying four bite-sized treats in an immersive celebration that embodies the true spirit of Al Wasl Season’s theme: One Destination, Every Celebration.
Vision & Legacy
The Festival of Cake was envisioned not merely as a one-time event, but as the birth of a brand with enduring creative and commercial potential. From concept to execution, TGP International led the development of its identity, storytelling and guest journey, shaping a platform that celebrates the art of dessert while inspiring imagination year after year.
Drawing on our cross-disciplinary expertise, we created a vibrant, cake-inspired brand world that balances playfulness with sophistication.
Every element, from the visual identity and spatial design to programming and partnerships, was conceived to capture hearts and spark curiosity well beyond the festival’s debut edition. The result is a concept that unites culinary excellence, creativity, and joy in a format that can evolve across markets and moments.
Aligned with Expo City Dubai’s mission to bring people together through art, culture, and sensory experience, the Festival of Cake establishes a new annual platform for pastry innovation and community celebration. It embodies the power of F&B as a driver of shared experience and cultural storytelling, blending food, design and entertainment in a way that feels fresh, inclusive and deeply memorable.
As the brand continues to grow, it is set to become a signature destination for dessert lovers and creative talent alike, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for culinary innovation and further cementing TGP International’s legacy in shaping extraordinary, experience-led concepts.