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His Excellency the President of King Khalid University, Professor Dr. Faleh bin Rajaa Al-Solami, attended last Wednesday the closing ceremony of the “Food Gifts 2026” competition, organized by the College of Tourism and Hospitality in partnership with the Culinary Arts Commission and in collaboration with the Asir Region Development Authority. The event was held at the University City in Al-Fara’a as part of initiatives aimed at enhancing innovation in the culinary sector, highlighting the cultural identity of the Asir region, and advancing educational and training outcomes in tourism and hospitality through fostering creativity in food products and transforming them into tourism gifts reflecting the region’s authenticity.
The project evaluation phase commenced in the morning session, with specialized committees for each track assessing submissions based on professional criteria, including innovation, quality of execution, applicability, cultural and tourism value, and adherence to sustainability standards such as the use of local resources, waste reduction, and environmentally friendly practices.
The closing ceremony featured a presentation of the competition outputs and the announcement of winners across three tracks: Food Gifts, Tableware, and Food Films. The competition recorded high-quality participation, with 32 innovative products submitted following the training of 60 male and female participants through a specialized training program, which contributed to enhancing output quality and competitiveness. A total of nine winners were recognized, with three winners in each track.
The event also included the presentation of a variety of innovative dishes inspired by Asir heritage, reflecting advanced creativity in utilizing local ingredients with contemporary techniques. These included Haneeth, Royal Dates with Mabthootha, Asiri Areeka, Asiri French Toast, Aseeda Balls, Sawiqah, Radeefa Ice Cream, and local Basil Lemonade.
Dr. Reham Mashat, Dean of the College of Tourism and Hospitality, emphasized that the competition represents a pioneering initiative aimed at supporting innovation in the tourism and hospitality sector. She noted that the outputs reflected a high level of creativity among participants and their ability to integrate local culture into food products that offer an authentic cultural experience, in alignment with the development trends of the tourism sector. She also expressed her appreciation to the organizing and supporting entities, judging committees, and congratulated the winning projects.
Dr. Mohammed Hammoud, Senior Consultant at the Culinary Arts Commission under the Ministry of Culture, stated that the competition demonstrated an effective model of integration between academic and governmental entities in supporting innovation and developing food products with local identity. He highlighted the role of such initiatives in showcasing Saudi culinary heritage through modern approaches and enhancing product quality and competitiveness.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the university’s strategic partners and the Culinary Arts Commission were honored, including the Asir Development Authority, The Chefs, the Heritage Commission, and Work Corner Company, in addition to recognizing trainers, judges, and the organizing team for their contributions to the success of the competition.
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