Alshaya Group provides first batch of Global Hospitality Certification, recognising skills in MENA

21 Mar 2022

Alshaya Group has issued their first batch of Global Hospitality Certification, recognizing the skills of 154 chefs with quality-assured digital credentials.

Alshaya Group is the first in MENA to offer Global Hospitality Certification to help develop the careers of its employees.

The event marks a major step forward in recognizing skills in the industry and progressing talent with industry-assured recognition and Worldchefs' global quality mark.

Alshaya Group, one of the world's leading brand franchise operators, has issued the first batch of Alshaya Global Hospitality Certification (AGHC), a unique international culinary certification to help develop the careers of its professional culinary employees.

Developed for Alshaya and endorsed by City & Guilds and Worldchefs, AGHC is the first of its kind in the region. The customized certification programme provides employees in the Alshaya hospitality division with professional recognition for their skills and achievements, benchmarked to international standards.

The first group of 154 Alshaya chefs have received their AGHC certifications and were issued digital badges that represent their Certification achievements, allowing earners to showcase their skills. AGHC will make it possible for Alshaya employees to get recognized for the skills and experience they have developed and will help them stand out from the crowd as their career develops.

"Too often chefs do not get truly recognized for what they do or what they have accomplished with their culinary experience," says Bill Zito, Head of Culinary Operations at Alshaya Group. "Partnering with Worldchefs allows us to truly certify and recognize chefs for what they have done, and gives them something to be proud of. It's been a great journey and we are very happy to offer this unique experience and see so many talented Chefs get certified."

AGHC is fully funded by Alshaya for its employees as part of Alshaya's ongoing investment in its people and provides a fully portable, practical, and professional qualification. Certification is broken down into five levels, depending on the employee's expertise and level of responsibility. No exams or study time is needed, with certification based solely on experience and level of responsibility and assessed by an independent panel. Certification is made in the form of a customized digital badge, which provides a portable secure method to showcase achievements.

"I felt very happy when I came to know that I am now a certified Chef de Partie through the Worldchefs Global Certification made possible by Alshaya. It has given me the motivation and enthusiasm to develop my career within Princi and Alshaya, and to further my culinary journey," shares Certified Chef de Partie Christopher Subho Gomes.

With a wide portfolio of award-winning restaurants including The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's, Texas RoadHouse, Asha's, Dean & Deluca, Bouchon Bakery and Princi, Alshaya Group has a strong hospitality footprint in the MENA region. AGHC represents a major step forward in recognizing skills in the industry, and progressing talent with industry-assured recognition and Worldchefs' global quality mark.