RIYADH — Le Cordon Bleu, the Paris-based world-class school of culinary arts, will soon open its first branch in the Kingdom. The Quality of Life Program Center has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with MENA Company for Education & Development in this regard. The branch of Le Cordon Bleu, which is considered to be the largest network of culinary and hospitality schools in the world with more than 35 institutes in 20 countries, will be opened in cooperation with the Culinary Arts Authority. The move is part of the initiative to provide curricula and educational programs for culinary arts in the recreational sector for citizens, which is one of the Vision 2030 initiatives that the Quality of Life Program works on implementing. The scheme aims to attract talents for the culinary arts sector and increase the number of chefs in the Kingdom. The Quality of Life Program Center's CEO Fahad Alakeel said that this step enhances the integrated efforts between the official agencies and the private sector in developing the culinary arts sector and developing Saudi cuisine, keeping pace with international hotel standards. It is noteworthy that the center, in cooperation with the Prince Muhammad Bin Salman Foundation (Misk), last year sent 30 young Saudi men and women to pursue their studies at Le Cordon Bleu School in Paris, and they are expected to graduate by the end of 2020. The Quality of Life Program is one of the Saudi Vision 2030 realization programs with a general aim of improving the individual's lifestyle in the Kingdom. The improvements include developing an ecosystem to support the participation of citizens and residents in cultural, environment, and sports activities.
