Latest news with #CulinaryArtsCommission
Arab News
01-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Film Commission showcases cultural power of Saudi cinema at London festival
RIYADH: The Kingdom's Film Commission is participating in the first European edition of the SXSW Festival, which is being held in London from June 2-7, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The event is a global platform that brings together professionals and experts from various creative sectors through events such as panel discussions, musical and comedy performances, film and TV screenings, exhibitions, competitions, and networking opportunities. As part of its participation the commission will screen a selection of short Saudi films under the Saudi Film Nights initiative, aiming to showcase the Kingdom's storytelling and promote national talent to international audiences. It is also organizing a panel called 'Empowering the Film Industry in Saudi Arabia: From Vision to Reality,' which will explore cinema's role in shaping national identity, preserving cultural heritage, and supporting local content as a form of soft power. The commission will highlight the Kingdom's cinematic achievements through an exhibition at the country's pavilion featuring films that have sold more than 250,000 tickets, participated in top international festivals, or won global awards — underscoring the growth and international rise of the Saudi film industry. The commission forms a part of the Saudi pavilion alongside other creative sector entities, including the Music Commission, Culinary Arts Commission, and Fashion Commission, presenting a broad view of the Kingdom's cultural diversity. This participation reaffirms the Film Commission's commitment to expanding Saudi Arabia's global presence, empowering creative talent, and positioning the Kingdom as a regional leader in cinema.
CairoScene
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Saudi Arabia to Spotlight Culinary Heritage at Taste of Paris 2025
At Taste of Paris 2025, Saudi Arabia will bring its cuisine and culture to life with interactive food stations, modern twists on classic recipes, and a pavilion inspired by the Kingdom's traditions. Saudi Arabia is set to participate in Taste of Paris 2025, one of the world's leading food festivals, which will be held at the Grand Palais Éphémère from May 8th to the 11th. Organised by the Culinary Arts Commission, the Kingdom's involvement places Saudi cuisine at the forefront of a global culinary platform. Presented under the theme 'Taste of Saudi Culture', the Kingdom's pavilion will offer visitors a multi-sensory journey shaped by food, architecture, and local customs. Three distinct environments will reflect Saudi Arabia's diverse geography and traditions: the central desert's architectural forms, palm-filled oases, and the Saudi majlis — a traditional gathering space recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage since 2015. At the centre of the pavilion, interactive stations will bring Saudi flavours to life. Live cooking demonstrations, tastings, and food-focused games will allow visitors to engage directly with the country's culinary traditions. The date, a central ingredient in Saudi cuisine, will be featured prominently, with chefs offering inventive versions of familiar dishes. These include lamb glazed with date molasses, Jareesh with a modern twist, Balilah, and date-based desserts such as ice cream and kunafa, alongside classic French pastries reimagined with Saudi influences. Beyond showcasing food, Saudi Arabia's participation reflects a wider strategy to promote its cultural industries through Vision 2030.
CairoScene
17-05-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
Mayada Badr is Mapping a Past & a Future For Saudi Culinary Heritage
Mayada Badr is Mapping a Past & a Future For Saudi Culinary Heritage Cordon Bleu graduate, founder of Pink Camel and now CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission, Mayada Badr is answering a question that has rarely been asked before - how to enact a culinary renaissance? When Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture set about creating 11 new cultural commissions, they imagined something unprecedented: a body dedicated to preserving, codifying, and celebrating the nation's culinary heritage. There was no blueprint to follow. No global precedent. It required a leader with a rare combination of imagination, resilience, and deep cultural grounding. It required someone like Mayada Badr. Badr's path was anything but traditional. A Parsons School of Design graduate with a passion for culinary creation, she spent her lunch breaks experimenting in the kitchen before formally training at Le Cordon Bleu. After interning in French restaurants, Badr returned home to Saudi Arabia, determined to give back. There, she founded Pink Camel, a fusion patisserie blending classic French technique with local flavours. Think kunafa macarons and Um Ali croissants. As her business grew, so did her influence, leading to government consulting work abroad. Then one day, the Ministry of Culture called - not to simply consult, but to lead. 'I wanted to make sure this was for the industry,' Badr tells SceneNowSaudi. 'I was just happy to talk, to be able to suggest how the culinary industry could be fixed.' When Badr reflects on her greatest milestone, she points not to a singular project, but to the Commission itself. Culinary arts, she notes, are an endangered industry. Across the globe, traditional foodways are eroding. In Saudi Arabia, the Culinary Arts Commission is racing to document, preserve, and revitalise them before they are lost. 'Preservation is a major pillar of our strategy,' Badr shares. 'We wanted to know what Saudi cuisine is, what our heritage is. We were uncovering our culture.' Under Badr's leadership, the Commission spent two and a half years conducting a monumental survey. Across all 13 regions of the Kingdom, researchers visited homes, learnt from the oldest families, listened to oral histories, consulted poetic sources, historic texts, and travel writings. The result? A living archive of 1,300 recipes and heritage ingredients, meticulously mapped and recorded. The work did not stop at documentation. In collaboration with UNESCO's intangible heritage initiatives, Badr spearheaded a Food Atlas project - a platform enabling nations to catalog and preserve their culinary traditions. Saudi cuisine, long overlooked internationally, is now not only entering the global stage, but it's supporting a global movement. 'Food truly has no borders,' Badr asserts. Saudi chefs now participate annually in festivals like Taste of London and Taste of Paris, introducing global audiences to the complexity and richness of Saudi flavours. At the same time, domestic initiatives like Irth - a restaurant-shop-training-centre hybrid staffed entirely by Saudis - and the Saudi Feast Food Festival, which offers visitors an all-day, one-stop taste of all thirteen regions, ensure that culinary traditions continue to thrive at home. Through documentary films, television series, open-access recipe archives, and dynamic food events, Badr's Commission is leading a content-driven cultural renaissance - one that sees cuisine as a critical avenue for national storytelling in an international narrative. And yet, even Badr has to admit that Saudi's greatest asset to global gastronomy isn't their dishes - and no, it's not their dates either - it's people. 'You don't train Saudis to smile, to be hospitable. We take our kindness for granted, but it is rare.' In every project she undertakes, the focus remains clear: give back to the culture that shaped her. This pride shines through every initiative, and it's starting to catch on. Saudis at home and afar are beginning to rediscover their culinary heritage now that it has been articulated. The private sector is picking it up - now it's time perhaps for Mayada Badr to step back and admire the view. To Mayada Badr, however, that future looks like three words: "Innovation. Discovery. Sustainability." With a multi-hyphenated background which bridges disciplines, cultures, and borders, Mayada Badr embodies the versatility and passion needed to navigate uncharted territory. Under her leadership, Saudi cuisine is not just being preserved; it is being reimagined as a living, evolving force.
Gulf Insider
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Arabia To Showcase Culinary Heritage At Taste Of Paris 2025
Saudi Arabia, through its Culinary Arts Commission, will participate in the prestigious Taste of Paris event from May 8 to 11, 2025, presenting a dedicated pavilion titled 'Taste of Saudi Culture' to highlight the Kingdom's rich and diverse gastronomic heritage. As one of 11 sector-specific bodies under the Ministry of Culture, the Culinary Arts Commission will feature live cooking stations and tastings alongside three immersive heritage-inspired spaces. Each room draws from distinct elements of Saudi tradition: the desert and central region architecture; the serenity of oases and vibrancy of traditional markets; and the warmth of the Saudi majlis, recognized by UNESCO since 2015 as intangible cultural heritage. The interactive experience will include sensory games, tastings, and gustatory illusions designed to engage visitors and deepen their appreciation for Saudi cuisine. Dates, a key symbol of Saudi culinary culture, will be the central ingredient across the pavilion's offerings. Dishes include a modern twist on Jareesh, lamb with date molasses, Balilah, date-infused ice cream, ricotta and date kunafah, and French desserts reimagined with Saudi flavors. Visitors will also explore curated pairings of Saudi date varieties with cheeses and sample Saudi coffee in both traditional and innovative forms.
Saudi Gazette
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia to showcase culinary heritage at Taste of Paris 2025
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia, through its Culinary Arts Commission, will participate in the prestigious Taste of Paris event from May 8 to 11, 2025, presenting a dedicated pavilion titled 'Taste of Saudi Culture' to highlight the Kingdom's rich and diverse gastronomic heritage. As one of 11 sector-specific bodies under the Ministry of Culture, the Culinary Arts Commission will feature live cooking stations and tastings alongside three immersive heritage-inspired spaces. Each room draws from distinct elements of Saudi tradition: the desert and central region architecture; the serenity of oases and vibrancy of traditional markets; and the warmth of the Saudi majlis, recognized by UNESCO since 2015 as intangible cultural heritage. The interactive experience will include sensory games, tastings, and gustatory illusions designed to engage visitors and deepen their appreciation for Saudi cuisine. Dates, a key symbol of Saudi culinary culture, will be the central ingredient across the pavilion's offerings. Dishes include a modern twist on Jareesh, lamb with date molasses, Balilah, date-infused ice cream, ricotta and date kunafah, and French desserts reimagined with Saudi flavors. Visitors will also explore curated pairings of Saudi date varieties with cheeses and sample Saudi coffee in both traditional and innovative forms.
