Saudi Gazette report

PARIS — Scholarship students from the Royal Commission of AlUla, who joined culinary courses in France, expressed their pride in getting an opportunity to learn professional cooking of global standard.

They exhibited their culinary skills during the AlUla, Wonder of Arabia exhibition at the prestigious Institut du monde arabe (IMA) in Paris. The chefs are from the first batch of 24, male and female cooks, from AlUla attending the first stage of the 3-month specially designed course at the renowned Ferrandi-Paris School.

Waleed Al-Balawi, one of them, expressed his pride in what the commission is doing to prepare the sons and daughters of AlUla to become pioneers in the field of learning professional cooking, adding that the duration of the training gave them self-confidence to present their talent.

On her part, Buthaina Wadaan highlighted the importance of this experience on the knowledge and practical levels. “One of my ambitions achieved on the ground, in addition to the beauty of this participation and the positive feedbacks received from it,” she told the Saudi Press Agency.

Nebras Al-Muzaini said that the skills they have acquired in this field will allow them to draw ideas from French and international styles and integrate them into the AlUla kitchen. “We witnessed the French admiration for the passion and determination that we demonstrated to practice what we have learned enthusiastically back at home,” she said.

Bandar Al-Enezi said that the rich experience in the cooking program and the opportunity to participate in the AlUla exhibition in the presence of senior Saudi and French officials will be the beginning of a more blossoming future in serving the Kingdom and elevating its global standing.

The students chose to serve different kinds of sweets, focusing on what AlUla is famous for and its fertile land in the production of citrus fruits. The guests welcomed what the students presented and admired them.

Dr. Rami Al-Sakran, director of capacity development at the commission, said that the students will spend three months in training at the Ferrandi-Paris School and two additional months in AlUla in cooperation with Michelin Star Chefs Group, coinciding with the Tantora Winter festival.

“One of the priorities of the Royal Commission is to develop the human capacities of the sons and daughters of the country and the community partnership in the form of self-development, mental growth and economic development,” he added.