Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Signs New Partnership to Expand Global Presence

Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Signs New Partnership to Expand Global Presence
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Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Signs New Partnership to Expand Global Presence

Saudi Culinary Arts Commission Signs New Partnership to Expand Global Presence

The Culinary Arts Commission has announced a strategic partnership with the international organization Sirha Food to enhance the presence of Saudi culinary culture at international events and competitions focused on the culinary arts.
Under this partnership, the Kingdom will host regional selection competitions for both the Bocuse d'Or competition and the Pastry World Cup for the Middle East in 2025.

According to SPA, this marks a significant step in the development of the Kingdom’s culinary arts sector, as these prestigious competitions aim to discover the best talents in the region, providing chefs with the opportunity to compete on the global stage and offering Saudi chefs a platform to showcase their skills internationally.
The collaboration between the Culinary Arts Commission and Sirha Food includes participation in the finals of the Pastry World Cup and the Bocuse d'Or World Final, as well as the Sirha exhibition, set to take place in Lyon, France, in January 2025.
The partnership builds on the existing collaboration between the commission and Sirha Food, which previously resulted in the organization of the Sirha Arabia exhibition in Riyadh.
CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission Mayada Badr stated that the collaboration with Sirha Food represents a pivotal step toward advancing the culinary arts in the Kingdom. She noted that hosting the regional edition of the Bocuse d'Or competition and the Pastry World Cup, alongside the commission's participation in Sirha Lyon, reflects its commitment to enhancing the Kingdom's global status in this field.
Badr also pointed out that this partnership aligns with the commission’s ongoing efforts to develop the culinary arts sector through fruitful collaborations that contribute to improving the culinary scene in the Kingdom, fostering growth in the sector, and benefiting Saudi chefs and local talent.



New Zealand Reclaims Record for Largest Haka Dance

People take part in a world record attempt for the largest mass Haka at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29, 2024. (AFP)
People take part in a world record attempt for the largest mass Haka at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29, 2024. (AFP)
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New Zealand Reclaims Record for Largest Haka Dance

People take part in a world record attempt for the largest mass Haka at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29, 2024. (AFP)
People take part in a world record attempt for the largest mass Haka at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29, 2024. (AFP)

New Zealand has set the world record for the most people to perform a haka, a traditional dance of the country's indigenous Maori, reclaiming the title from France.

A statement by Auckland’s Eden Park, which hosted the record attempt on Sunday, said 6,531 people had performed Ka Mate, the haka, which surpassed the current record of 4,028 people, held by France since 2014.

"Haka is an important part of our culture and returning the mana (prestige) of this world record away from the French and back to the land of its origins and ensuring it was performed correctly and with integrity was vital,” Hinewehi Mohi, cultural ambassador for HAKA and co-founder of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust, told New Zealand’s 1News.

The haka, a customary dance by Maori, was traditionally a way to welcome visiting tribes or to invigorate warriors ahead of battle. It is now performed at important events and is the most well-known as part of the New Zealand rugby teams pre-game ritual.

There are many haka but the one performed at the world record attempt is the most well-known and was composed around 1920 by Te Rauparaha, chief of Ngati Toa iwi or tribe.

Event organizers had hoped at least 10,000 participants would attend the event, which was also fundraising for Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

Nick Sautner, Eden Park chief executive, said watching thousands of passionate New Zealanders from young children to elders perform Ka Mate at the stadium was a truly memorable moment.

“It’s more than just numbers – it’s about honoring our cultural legacy on a global stage,” Sautner said in a statement released late Sunday.

Almost 1 million of New Zealand's 5.2 million population have Maori ancestry.