Media Centre

Honored by the Governor of Mecca and Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques HRH Prince Khaled Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the MISK Foundation for the establishment of the Kingdom’s first modern Culinary Arts Academy, based in KAEC and in cooperation with the International Center for Culinary Arts (ICCA).

The academy is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2017, God willing, to graduate the next generation of young Saudi chefs.

Under this memorandum, the MISK Foundation will work on providing scholarships and training for 500 students who meet the conditions to complete their education and train at the academy. Students who complete the program successfully will get an internationally acclaimed professional certification in food preparation and culinary arts, in addition to receiving support through training and assistance programs to get jobs in restaurants and the hospitality sector.

KAEC Group CEO and Managing Director Mr. Fahd bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Rasheed commented, “Launching the ICCA Culinary Arts Academy at KAEC comes within a socio-economic initiative aimed at transferring the knowledge and skills required by restaurants and the growing hospitality sector, enabling us to keep up with the acceleration of the Saudi market.”

“The academy will offer intensive training courses and will give its patrons of cooking enthusiasts and youth aspiring to enter the local hospitality and restaurant market internationally acclaimed certifications that can enable them to build their careers,” Al-Rasheed continued.

He pointed out that the academy would open up new paths for development on both personal and professional levels, improving the levels of localization of this sector in conjunction with Vision 2030.

From his side, MISK Foundation Secretary General Mr. Badr Al-Asaker commented, “The Kingdom’s restaurants and hospitality sector is undergoing noticeable growth, but the owners and operators of these facilities face the challenge of localizing the jobs they provide. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a specialized educational facility in the field of hospitality and culinary arts, in order to meet the needs of the job market with professional standards. The latter can be done by graduating national competencies, which in turn would contribute to the development of the hospitality industry and push it towards growth and development.”

The academy will offer international training programs for its students both in Arabic and English, and will include online education and practical training. Programs will focus on the commercial production of food and methods of presentation and serving. In addition, the Academy will focus on teaching its trainees the ability to execute multiple tasks simultaneously, supervisory and leadership skills and will enable them to benefit from international best practices in this field, giving them the powerful start they need in their career path.

About King Abdullah Economic City

King Abdullah Economic City is one of the biggest privately owned and run projects in the world. Its centerpiece is a comprehensive, 181-square-kilometer city on the eastern coast of the Red Sea, just north of Jeddah. The city is home to seaside neighborhoods that offer a variety of residential solutions to suit various levels of income, as well as the King Abdullah Port, which is set to be one of the largest seaports in the world. The Hijaz District has one of the stations of the Haramain High Speed Rail Project, and the 55km² Industrial Valley continues to attract top national and international corporations. Listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul,) Emaar Economic City, the primary developer of the city, is a publicly traded Saudi corporation established in 2006.