“Cooking Arts” qualifies students for professional cooking and managing restaurants

Academics, specialists, and students chose “cooking arts” with a university specialization, that this field has exceeded the limits of passion for taste and skill, to become an integrated academic path that combines theoretical creativity and practical application, and provides a testimony that accompanies the aspirations of young people seeking a different and inspiring professional future, in which they professionalize the cooking profession, restaurant management, and create new concepts in the world of food.

And the Emirates Today, during its participation in the Gulf Education Exhibition “GITEX 2025”, monitored a remarkable presence of the cooking arts corner, which not only attracted visitors with its delicious smell, but also with its deep message that reflected the transformation of cooking arts from just a hobby to an academic specialization that holds a university identity and establishes a promising professional future.

In a corner of the smell of fresh butter and hot bread, students wearing white chefs were stirring with expertise, not inside a traditional kitchen, but in a modern educational platform representing the Ecole DuCasse School, one of the oldest French academic institutions specializing in cooking arts.

A graduate of cooking arts is usury Ismail, with confidence in front of the cutting table as she was preparing it, and she says: “I loved cooking from a young age, but it was just a hobby, and I never imagined that I would study it university and get an international certificate that opens the doors of work globally.”

She added that the study gave her a deeper understanding of cooking as science and art, and contributed to the formation of her professional ambition with confidence and professionalism, so the experience changed her ambitions and established her desire to build a professional future in this field.

A graduate of cooking arts, Maram Nasser, said that the study halls in this field are completely different from the traditional university halls, as they resemble professional kitchens equipped with the latest tools and technologies, and allow students to learn in a practical and interactive way in an environment that stimulates creativity and direct experience.

She explained that she chose this specialization because of her great passion for cooking, and for her desire to turn it into a real professional path, and indicated that cooking arts are opening wide horizons to work in international hotels and restaurants, as well as entrepreneurship opportunities through special projects.

A student in the 11th grade of the International Knowledge School, Alsar Suleiman, said that the arts of cooking for her are not just a skill, but rather a science that deserves study and specialization, and stressed that this field is no less important than medicine or engineering, as it combines creativity, discipline and extensive job opportunities around the world.

Her colleague, Jana Abdel -Qader, said that she is encouraging students to choose cooking arts a real professional specialization, because of the distinctive educational experience and opportunities it provides, and pointed out that this field gives young people a space to express their passion and achieve their aspirations in a professional environment full of challenges.

And the “Emirates Today” field tour revealed a clear shift in the perception of the parents towards the unconventional disciplines, as Souad Al -Ali expressed change of its conviction, saying: “I used to see medicine and engineering the most appropriate option, but the passion of my daughter in the cooking workshop changed my opinion, the world changed and creative professions have become rewarding.”

(Abu Khalid) explained that his knowledge of the curricula of cooking specialties and international partnerships during the exhibition made him convinced the seriousness of the specialization and its wide opportunities, while (Umm Sarah) saw that the practical side and the reality of the labor market attributed her decision to support her daughter, and stressed that cooking today is taught as a science and profession with a promising future.

“These interactive experiences enable students to touch the professional reality with their hands and express their practical abilities, which enhances their self -confidence and gives them a realistic image of the nature of specialization.”

She added that the moment of direct interaction, and immediate evaluation by professional trainers, creates a feeling of achievement and belonging to a field he did not imagine in the past, and she added: “When the student sees himself he is creative in front of the public, and he praises his work with experience, realizes that this path carries an actual value.”

The Director of Business Development at Ecol Dokas – Abu Dhabi, Dr. Mittali Joawa, confirmed that the school wing at the GITEX 2025 exhibition witnessed a wide turnout from students, especially from the secondary stage, to discover cooking arts from a modern academic perspective.

She pointed out that the students went through live interactive experiences, such as preparing simple dishes using professional techniques, and getting to know the basics of French cuisine, which reflects their passion and willingness to turn their talent into a study and professional path that combines creativity and application.

She explained that the Ecol Ducas School offers the “Asinchels” programs, which allow high school students and academic institutions in the Emirates an opportunity to discover distinctive professional paths in the world of cooking arts.

The programs include intensive practical training, such as the Coal Arts Basics Program (260 hours, the practical ratio of 80%), the French Pastry Arts program (228 hours), as well as advanced professional courses, amateur workshops, and children’s programs through the “Junior Chefs Club”.

She added that the school founded at the hands of the global chef, Alan Docas, is a global reference in teaching cooking arts, and won the title of best cooking training institution in the world for the year 2023. It was opened in Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism, to be the first presence of the brand in the Middle East.

She said, “We are not just leaving chefs, but we are taking care of professionals who are able to drive kitchens, manage restaurants, and design new concepts in the world of food. Cooking today is an industry, and the distinction in it starts from serious education. ”

Increased demand

The reports of the tourism labor and hospitality market indicate that the demand increases by 15% annually on professional chefs and administrators in the field of food, especially in destinations such as the Emirates, which is witnessing a boom in the hospitality sector and global restaurants.