How did SCAFA work toward being a pioneer in the culinary world?
SCAFA was envisioned as a much-needed alternative to the education-only approach of higher institutes in the UAE. The school was designed to provide school leavers (and others) with access to world-class vocational training to pursue a career in the culinary arts.
There are three main ingredients to establishing a quality culinary arts institute: great instructors, modern, well-equipped facilities and a sound, modernist curriculum. You also need to ensure that your graduating students obtain qualifications that are recognized internationally. SCAFA chose to partner with City & Guilds (UK). We then went a step further and partnered with B.H.M.S., a leading hospitality institute in Switzerland. SCAFA’s programs serve as a pathway, with advanced placement into B.H.M.S.’s BA Culinary Arts program.
We constantly undertake steps to enhance learning opportunities for our students, and we measure our success by the performance and success of our alumni in the industry after they have left SCAFA.
What makes a great chef?
A good cook has the talent to produce quality food that’s consistent. A great chef, in my opinion, is someone who can translate their life experiences into a menu that is unique and contains signature dishes that cannot be found anywhere else.
How do you rate the Emirati culinary scene?
The Emirates, and Dubai in particular, has emerged as a truly international culinary destination. I cannot think of any other city that has such a high concentration of leading restaurants packed into a square kilometer like the DIFC district.
Furthermore, Emirati cuisine is finding its place, and this is being led by talented Emirati chefs. I’m proud to say some of these chefs studied at SCAFA.
Do you have any new projects in the pipeline?
Since its inception, SCAFA has grown by establishing a second campus in Lahore and also has an affiliate campus in Beirut. Unfortunately, our Saudi partners discontinued the campus project we were jointly working on due to the pandemic, but we are optimistic that we will become operational in that important market soon.
SCAFA always operated a restaurant on its campuses, which we have been unable to run due to the pandemic. However, we are in the process of re-launching restaurants across our campuses with a difference. One of the major market disruptors has been the emergence of cloud kitchens, a trend that grew as a result of Covid-19. This is a major development in commercial food production, and SCAFA has been trialing cloud kitchen operations from its Dubai campus, which we will integrate into our training programs to ensure that our students have access to a greater number of opportunities.
About author
Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
