Nadia Al-Fawwaz Saudi Gazette ABHA — A number of Saudi women have learned cooking from TV programs and have excelled in the trade to become chefs producing a variety of cuisines. Many single Saudi women and housewives are now able to produce Arab and international dishes which are very popular in the Kingdom. They are also able to prepare sweets which are served at homes, during gatherings and formal occasions. Um Shakir, a famous female cook in the Southern Province, said a number of old Saudi ladies have become good cooks especially in meals which are popular among the residents of the province and other areas as well. She said she learnt cooking at a late age and is now serving popular dishes in Asir Region. “I participate regularly in bazaars organized by government departments and charity organizations to present popular food within the productive families' program,” she said. Um Shakir said she can now cook all kinds of food, pastries and sweets. “I have been practicing over many years until I perfected the trade. I now receive requests for popular foods from a number of restaurants in the region. “My daughters are helping me in the preparation, packaging and distribution of food,” she said. She said in addition to Asir Region, she has customers in other areas including Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. “GCC summer vacationers also make demands for popular meals including Al-Tannur bread, Al-Areek and other popular cuisine to take back home with them,” she said. Maha Abboud, a young Saudi woman specializing in cupcakes and pastries, said a number of Saudi women have benefitted from TV cooking programs and are working from their homes to prepare a variety of food. “We started the business on a voluntary basis when we were asked to donate cupcakes by a charity organization. When we noticed the great demand for our product, we specified an area in our home to make our brand of cupcakes,” she said. Abboud said she is now serving cupcakes in various forms for a number of occasions including weddings, birthday parties, convocations and other events. “We now have a large number of customers,” she said. Wafa Fadl, another Saudi woman cook who has a shop at a mall in Khamis Mushayt said she has established a buffet to serve meals to women. “A number of young Saudi girls are helping me prepare Arab and international cuisines. I have a large number of female customers,” she said. She said female run restaurants can be very successful projects if they are manned by good female cooks. “Saudi women can be good cooks and become chefs if they are provided with the right training,” she said. Amal Khazraji, who is in charge of a women's cafe in Jeddah, said her cafe provides free cooking lessons to housewives, businesswomen and young women getting ready for marriage. She said her trainees are mostly interested to learn cooking Arab and Chinese food in addition to the Ramadan meals. “We have special training programs on healthy food. A nutritionist is giving these lessons,” she said. Khazraji said the Saudi women who enroll do so to learn the basics of cooking, gain more experience or open their own restaurants. Dr. Balqis Bahatmah, a female professor at the college of economics at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah asked for introducing advanced cooking lessons at the faculty of home economics to prepare Saudi female chefs. “A number of companies have directed their activities toward preparing women chefs,” she said. Bahatmah criticized TV and radio cooking programs for not being professional enough. “These programs are presented by amateur not professionals,” she said.
