ALKHOBAR: Since the non-profit ZADK Culinary Academy officially opened its doors in 2019, it has cooked up some hearty dishes and continues to break records, do good, and train the region’s future culinary masters. “ZADK won the Quality Award in Education and Training from the Ministry of Tourism, and has gained the trust of the Human Resources Development Fund, which supported the delivery of diploma courses for 100 male and female chefs and helped 240 others train for a qualifying certificate in the mini cooking program,” Rania Moualla, the academy’s founder, told Arab News. Rania Moualla, the founder of the non-profit ZADK Culinary Academy. (Supplied) In 2023, a culinary scholarship program was created in cooperation with the HRDF. Each student went straight into work after completing the program. “The aim is to train Saudi nationals to be qualified chefs in accordance with international standards. This contributes to supporting the labor market and preserves the cultural heritage of Saudi cuisine, while helping achieve Vision 2030’s goals of supporting and empowering youth,” Moualla said. So far, 371 chefs have graduated from ZADK, earning a diploma in the field of culinary arts or other related fields. “A large number of them have joined the labor market, working in international hotels, restaurants and the corporate food sector,” Moualla said. The academy was established in June 2018 and officially opened in December 2019 in the Eastern Province. Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, governor of the Eastern Province, was one of the academy’s earliest, and fiercest, supporters. “He was the first to believe in the idea and support it when he cut the ribbon and adopted the ZADK logo, which is a camel carrying food,” Moualla said. ZADK’s aim is to “prepare young talent to contribute to Vision 2030, supporting advancement at the economic and social levels; preserving Saudi food culture and showcasing it to the world,” she added. The academy, she continued, also “aspires to be a platform for social change regarding food waste, healthy eating, sustainability and culture.” Aside from its culinary aims, the academy also runs several social-development initiatives. Its students have put in numerous hours volunteering and have even earned a Guinness World Record, creating a Saudi flag made of cupcakes to mark the 91st Saudi National Day. The academy also sources its ingredients locally, to help promote local farmers and to ensure access to healthy food, in addition to applying a zero-waste principle. The academy has earned International Organization for Standardization certification for quality management in work and food safety, and this year the academy qualified for accreditation from the National Center for Education and Training Evaluation. “In terms of building competencies, following the example of our Swiss partner (the Culinary Arts Academy) — which is ranked among the seven best institutes in the world — we have invested in an advanced information system to enhance administrative efficiency and create a dynamic, stimulating educational community. We will begin working on it in the coming days,” Moualla said. Classes have already started for the 10th batch of students, who will be joined in August by the 11th batch — which includes 56 students enrolled in a higher diploma through a scholarship from NEOM. The international diploma for chefs includes practical training, workshops, an orientation program, and field visits. Another 24 chefs graduated from the Sultanate of Oman as part of the Hospitable program, organized by the Ministry of Labor, the Oman Tourism College, and the Omran Group in cooperation with the academy. “The graduates are building a foundation for a bright tomorrow, transforming their passion into a profession and their dreams into reality. They also revive the history of our fathers and grandfathers, and our cultural heritage, through cooking,” Moualla concluded.