JEDDAH: A Saudi woman chef is turning her love of food into a global adventure.
Mayada Badr is an international chef and CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Culinary Arts Commission, which aims to bring young talents to the international table.
The commission also helps preserve Saudi culinary techniques by identifying, coding and listing traditional recipes.
Even after getting a formal degree, Badr wanted to learn more about the culinary arts, so she spent three years studying for a grand diploma at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris.
FASTFACT
Kingdom's Delicacies
The Saudi Ministry of Culture has set up 11 cultural commissions to promote and manage each cultural sector in the Kingdom.
She then decided to broaden her experience working with acclaimed chef Jacques Chibois at his two-star Michelin restaurant in Grasse, north of Cannes.
Badr’s instincts as a chef and her training with Chibois have made her one of the most accomplished chefs in Saudi Arabia.
Now she is excited to see Saudi cuisine finding a place at the international table.
The Kingdom has many flavorful delights just waiting to be enjoyed, Badr said. She offers something as simple as dates as an example, saying there is a huge variety available in Saudi Arabia while only two or three are known internationally.
Badr looks forward to turning her passion into a movement that may change the culinary history of the Kingdom.
