1. Sunjeh Raja
Director and CEO, International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA Dubai)
In May, Raja saw the first 24 chefs graduate after completing the first ICCA Dubai Culinary Scholarship, the centre’s AED 1 Million (US$272,300) Continuing Education Award for UAE-based young chefs, and the roll-out of the second scholarship programme, in October. The TV-based culinary learning platform Raja conceptualised and launched last year — Fatafeat ICCA Academy Online — has received widespread recognition in the past 12 months, and won Best Digital Initiative of the Year 2016 at the ASBU BroadcastPro Selevision Awards this year. ICCA Dubai also won two awards from one of its accreditors, City & Guilds London: International Centre of Excellence — Middle East and International Centre of the Year. The latter of which saw ICCA come first out of more than 1,300 centres from 80 countries. Key priorities for the next 12 months include completing a 22,000ft2 expansion of a new culinary training facility in Dubai in January and opening ICCA KAEC (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), a 42,000ft2 culinary training facility next November. In addition, Raja will oversee the entry of, and support for, a UAE team in the culinary segment of World Skills Abu Dhabi 2017, at which 1,000 candidates from over 72 countries participate.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 12
Number of years with this company: 12
Number of years in this role: 12
Number of years working in the Middle East: 12
Number of people you are responsible for: 45
Nationality: Indian
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