The festival will remain open from 7pm to midnight at the restaurant, Grandiose, on the 6th floor of the five-star hotel from July 5 to July 13 for gourmets, officials told a press conference yesterday in the capital.

During the festival, the dinner will cost a person Tk 650 excluding services charge and VAT, the hotel officials added.

"Continental, Italian, Arabian, Thai-Chinese and Indian dishes will be available during the festival. Besides, the food lovers can also taste fresh juice, salad and different dishes from Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Egypt, Spain and Morocco," said Arif Mutahar, managing director of Dhaka Regency.

The festival will also feature cultural programmes, he said.

Industries Adviser Geeteara Safiya Choudhury and Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury are likely to attend the launching of the food festival.

The Daily Star, The Jugantor, Channel i and radio Today are the media partners of the festival.

Replying to queries, Mutahar said British Bangladesh Investment Group, a consortium of Bangladeshi British nationals, owns the hotel.

"So far we have invested more than Tk 300 crore in hospitality business in Bangladesh and we have a plan for further investment. We have already started a feasibility study to set up more international standards hotels, resorts and motels in the country's tourism centres such as Cox's Bazar, Teknaf and Kuakata," he added.

The grand opening function of the hotel will be held at the later part of this year, he said, adding that now there are around 250 employees in the hotel. The number of staff will reach 500 before the grand opening, he also said.

Among others, Chairman and Executive Director of the hotel Musleh Ahmed, Executive Director Kabir Reza and Executive Chef Ahmed Hossain were present at the press conference.