Historic Saudi metropolis leaving ‘honorable impression’ on vacationers

JEDDAH: Saudia and the College of Prince Mugrin celebrated the commencement of the primary batch of scholars from the In-Flight Chef program on the Saudia membership corridor in Jeddah.

The ceremony was attended by Bandar Hajjar, president of Prince Mugrin College; Ibrahim Al-Omar, Saudia Group director common; in addition to elite Saudi cooks together with Dareen Shaker, Khulood Olaqi and Sama Jaad. Media members, households and buddies of the graduates have been additionally current.

Through the commencement ceremony, 35 certified Saudi in-flight cooks walked proudly towards the stage to cherish the momentum of their achievement after succeeding within the one-year culinary journey.

All through this system, graduates have been uncovered to worldwide cuisines as they have been instructed by a gaggle of Saudi and international skilled cooks. Since they signify Saudi Airways, they’ll have the privilege to introduce Saudi passengers to many conventional dishes with a twist.

The one-year program included six months of theoretical coaching at UPM and two months of sensible coaching at world luxurious accommodations such because the Ritz Carlton and Hilton. This system concluded with security and safety classes at Prince Sultan Aviation Academy.

The 35 cooks formally graduated final December and have been instantly employed by Saudia as full-time in-flight cooks.

Prof. Abdulkareem Alalwani, vice chairman of UPM Enterprise Growth, stated in opening remarks: “This partnership goals to observe the targets of the Kingdom’s Imaginative and prescient 2030, because the UPM aspires to attain excellence in qualitative utilized training and revolutionary analysis as a contribution to the development of society, and to fulfill the wants of the labor market and to supply sustainable growth.”

He added: “The college has supplied this coaching program that ends with employment in cooperation with Saudia Airways and the Human Sources Growth Fund, which qualifies cooks who’re passionate learners.”

Ahmed Babtain, vice chairman of human assets at Saudia, stated: “This system is qualitatively designed, because it contains on-board service strategies, consciousness of security requirements and protocols, and culinary and hospitality trade expertise.”

Babtain added that the aviation trade is witnessing intense competitors, and offering high quality service on-board whereas sustaining the best requirements has change into a key level of distinction between airways.

“This system gives a aggressive edge by delivering an distinctive visitor expertise,” he added.

Saudi Flight Chef Supervisor Ihsan Khalawi advised Arab Information that the primary batch of graduates have been fastidiously chosen, and that they “are much more than cooks.”

He added: “They’re all very enthusiastic about what they do. It’s what led them to this large step. Each one in every of them resamples a expertise as they’ve merged cooking with presenting, pictures and social media content material creating.”

Chef Rawa Hanafi, one in every of 4 feminine graduates, stated: “I’m speechless. I’m so grateful to Saudia as a result of they’ve given us an opportunity to expertise the true kitchen journey in one of the best and {most professional} accommodations.”

Changing into a chef requires persistence, and tolerating and accepting criticism is vital, stated graduate Turkey Badawi, 28, who holds a bachelor’s diploma in human assets administration.

Badawi added: “It’s my dream job to fly and cook dinner. This job combines what I like and need for — my dream certainly got here true.”

The graduates confirmed their assist to relations for supporting them throughout this system. Among the many relations was Ayman Najjar, a retired flight attendant who served in lots of positions with Saudia. He stated that it was time for his daughter to proceed the trail.

“It’s an indescribable happiness to witness at the present time the place my daughter Mai had the prospect to change into a terrific chef and to work with the identical firm I did.”

Mai stated that this system helped her to change into “very artistic” in culinary arts, including that she was “very grateful” for her father and husband for offering her with assist.

Saudia employs greater than 180 in-flight cooks. It has additionally elevated the proportion of Saudi staff from three to 22 p.c.

The nationwide service connects 4 continents with greater than 100 locations globally and operates one of many world’s youngest fleets, with over 140 plane.