Beyond Restaurant Openings: Saudi Arabia Invests in Culinary Skills

Restaurant openings make the headlines, but the kitchens behind them need cooks. Saudi Arabia’s Culinary Arts Commission is working on both ends of that pipeline: a 12-month academic programme for new entrants, and a competition track that leads from Riyadh towards the Bocuse d’Or final in Lyon in January 2027.

A 12-month route into the kitchen

In early July the Commission opened applications for the second edition of its Academic Culinary Arts Program. Applications ran from 2 to 31 July and were open to Saudis aged 18 and over with a high-school diploma or a university degree, Arab News reported. The programme runs for 12 months and combines academic study with hands-on training. It is delivered with Prince Muqrin University, King Khalid University, the Saudi Academy of Culinary Arts, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Umm Al-Qura University and Batterjee Medical College, and leads to accredited qualifications.

The stated aim is employment. The Commission says the programme is built around labour-market needs, with trainees learning to present Saudi cuisine in contemporary ways and to develop dishes drawn from the kingdom’s culinary heritage; success will be measured by graduates’ career progression. Chief executive Mayada Badr said the programme “provides clear pathways to employment”, Arab News reported. The Commission also describes the effort as part of a strategy to widen opportunities in emerging tourism destinations. Neither the number of places nor results from the first edition appeared in the coverage we reviewed.

Competition as a pipeline

The competition track grew out of a partnership. In October 2024 the Commission announced a strategic tie-up with Sirha Food, the organiser behind the Lyon exhibition and Sirha Arabia, and said the kingdom would host the Middle East regional selections for the Bocuse d’Or and the World Pastry Cup. The 2025 edition of Sirha Arabia covered 10,000 square metres, with 280 exhibitors and brands, 80 international chefs and speakers and a Contest Arena built to host the selections, according to Il Sole 24 Ore.

The first national selections followed. In July 2025 the Commission opened registration for the national selections for the Bocuse d’Or and the Pastry World Cup, held during Sirha Arabia in Riyadh. The contests ran from 30 September to 2 October 2025, and Il Sole 24 Ore described it as the first time Saudi Arabia had hosted national selections for either. Bocuse d’Or entrants had to be Saudi nationals aged 23 or over and show mastery of either the turned-vegetable or the brunoise technique. Selection combined technical tests, creativity evaluations and interviews, and finalists were promised tailored preparation for the international stage.

The next stage is regional. The kingdom is due to host the Middle East qualifiers in 2026 with Sirha Food, and winners go on to the global final at Sirha Lyon in January 2027. Elsewhere in the Gulf the pipeline is already moving: this summer the UAE named Alhassan Alfalasi the winner of its first Bocuse d’Or UAE selection, and Valrhona reports that he will represent the country at the continental selections in Riyadh. Neither the date of that Riyadh event nor the names of the Saudi candidates appeared in the sources we reviewed.

Recognition from outside

External validation has arrived at the same time. The Michelin Guide launched its first Saudi selection in partnership with the Commission, revealing it in three stages between October and December 2025 and listing 51 restaurants across Riyadh, Jeddah and AlUla. At the guide’s inaugural celebration in Riyadh, reported by Arab News on 5 February, the Young Chef Award went to Elia Kaady of Maiz in Riyadh, and Michelin’s international director, Gwendal Poullennec, praised Saudi chefs for staying true to their roots. Among the seven Riyadh Bib Gourmand restaurants was Najd Village, which serves the central Arabian cooking we cover in our heritage series.

The two tracks answer different problems. The academic programme builds the base of trained cooks on which a wave of new restaurants, such as those in our guide to nine Riyadh openings, depends. The competition track builds a smaller elite and international visibility for Saudi chefs. Both come from the same public body, whose stated approach is to invest in Saudi talent.

Sources & fact-check10

1. Saudi Arabia invests in culinary talent through new academic programArab News, 4 July 2026
2. Hands-on culinary program to prepare Saudis for food industry careersArab News, 6 July 2026
3. Saudi Culinary Arts Commission launches second Academic Culinary Arts ProgramHospitality News Middle East, 6 July 2026
4. Registration opens for Bocuse d’Or, Pastry World Cup contests in RiyadhArab News, 5 July 2025
5. Culinary Arts Commission Opens National Registration for Bocuse d’Or, Pastry World CupRiyadh Daily (SPA), 4 July 2025
6. Saudi Culinary Arts Commission broadens its global reachArab News (via SPA), 3 October 2024
7. The Bocuse d’Or arrives for the first time in Saudi Arabia, where the desire for Made in Italy is growingIl Sole 24 Ore, 30 September 2025
8. A Historic Milestone for UAE GastronomyValrhona, 20 July 2026
9. Just Unveiled: Saudi Arabia’s First-Ever MICHELIN Guide SelectionMichelin Guide, 15 December 2025
10. Michelin Guide announces 3 new awards at restaurant celebration in RiyadhArab News, 5 February 2026

Every name, number and date in this story was checked against the sources above before publication. Spotted something wrong? Tell us — we correct errors openly. See our editorial standards.