The tastiest and most satisfying festival will take place in October at the Firdavsi Park of Culture and Recreation in Dushanbe. This is one of the main festivals of the sunny country, a must-visit to truly experience the flavors and delights of Tajikistan.

Festival participants will demonstrate the art of setting the dastarkhan and showcase their culinary mastery. Chefs will prepare dozens of variations of Central Asia’s most beloved dish—and generously serve it to all who come to taste.

But it all begins in the quiet of night. On the eve of the festival, chefs gather in the park at midnight to set up massive cauldrons over open flames. With the scent of woodsmoke in the air, they begin slicing, stirring, and simmering. By 7:00 a.m., the gates open—and the park fills with hungry guests, ready for their first plate.

Chefs from across the country gather at the festival, each hoping to be recognized as the best in their craft. It’s the guests who choose the most deserving master—the one whose plov leaves a lasting impression.

In addition to plov, guests are invited to take part in various contests. The most popular one is the “Best Eater” competition, where anyone willing can join—the challenge is to finish a large plate of plov in under seven minutes.

At one of the previous festivals, three tons of plov were cooked in the largest kazan alone — not to mention over ten more tons prepared in 400 other kazans.