By Anas Alyusuf

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Minister of Culture Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan appointed Mayada Badr as CEO of the Culinary Arts Authority, as part of the ministry’s endeavors to develop and organize the culinary sector in the Kingdom.

Mayada Badr, known as the ‘queen of macaroons’ in Saudi Arabia, is one of the distinguished Saudi whose competencies in the culinary arts are hailed. She has a great experience in the field, and has represented the Kingdom on many international occasions.

Mayada’s scientific and academic career is also marked by important stations. A graduate of the International Cordon Bleu School in Paris, she has trained under internationally-acclaimed chefs.

Mayada, through the new authority, will be responsible for regulating and developing the cooking sector, improving its ingredients, and supporting and encouraging practitioners in it.

Mayada will also develop a strategy for the sector and follow up its implementation. The fledgling authority will be a reference for everything related to sector management and organization, as it will be the authority responsible for issuing licenses for activities related to the authority’s work and organizing conferences and exhibitions within the limits of its jurisdiction.

In addition, the authority will set up courses and adopt professional training programs, and encourage research, studies and development in the field of culinary arts.

The new body comes within the framework of the Ministry of Culture project to advance the local cultural sector in its various creative directions, and it is one of 11 new cultural authorities launched by the ministry to manage the sectors that make up the Saudi cultural scene.

Mayada, speaking about her culinary creation, said, "I decided to combine French cooking techniques with Saudi flavors to create a Parisian dessert with an Arab twist.”

“The cake I chose to make is basically an ice cream cake delicacy. But the flavors I blended with it included tahini halawa, rose water and layers of coffee flavored ganache,” she added.

Mayada studied at Parsons School of Design in Paris — a city she believes is one of food and indulgence. Her culinary training began at the renowned Cordon Bleu.

Following the completion of her Grand Diplôme, she interned at Laduree for three months where she met inspirational chefs who taught her the techniques and tastes that would shape her as a chef today.