Badr Zuhair Fayez, board member at the Saudi Culinary Arts Authority

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Updated 02 August 2020
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Badr Zuhair Fayez, board member at the Saudi Culinary Arts Authority

Badr Zuhair Fayez is a Saudi chef and businessman with an extensive history of working in the food and beverage industry.

Fayez was recently appointed as a board member of the Culinary Arts Authority headed by chef Mayada Badr.

He was selected by Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan.

Fayez has contributed to the establishment of several creative businesses in the food industry in Saudi Arabia and abroad.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts and an MBA in marketing from the College of Culinary Arts at the Johnson & Wales University, Rhode Island. He also holds a degree from Le Cordon Bleu institute in basic cuisine.

Fayez gained experience abroad with an internship at the Grand Hotel in Vienna, by working as a pastry chef in Italy, and through spending time shadowing chefs during a culinary expedition in Southeast Asia.

He then returned to his home town Jeddah, aiming to introduce revolutionary concepts to the local food industry, and opened multiple restaurants and a bakery there.

In March this year, he partnered with Adlah Al-Sharhan, a celebrity chef from Kuwait, to launch Bowlila in Los Angeles, US.

Bowlila is a brand built around chickpeas as a healthy and low-carb protein, introducing a new bowl concept that taps into the plant-based, low carb fast-food movement.

Fayez is a partner and CEO of Badr Fayez Catering Co. and Midwam Edutainment. Both are based in Jeddah. His catering company’s focus is to develop an innovative perception of food and elevate Saudi cuisine.

He is also a member of the international advisory board at the Saudi Culinary Academy.

Fayez has made many appearances on live cooking shows and is former Top Chef, Master Chef Arabia judge.

His latest appearances were on the “Dabbir Aklek” show, which is the Arabic version of a BBC action-adventure cooking contest titled “No Kitchen Required,” in 2018.

The series takes five prominent chefs from the Arab world out of their comfort zones and drops them into remote areas around the world where they have to work together with locals to hunt, gather and cook meals using traditional methods.


Jeddah Book Fair set to showcase rising Saudi literary scene

The event reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a cultural hub attracting major publishers, content creators and investors. (SPA
Updated 09 December 2025
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Jeddah Book Fair set to showcase rising Saudi literary scene

  • This year’s cultural program reflects the Kingdom’s heritage, with over 170 events including lectures, panel discussions and workshops

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is preparing to host the Jeddah Book Fair from Dec. 11 to 20 at Jeddah Superdome, bringing together more than 1,000 local and international publishing houses and agencies from 24 countries across 400 booths. 

Held under the slogan “Jeddah Reads,” the fair is part of the commission’s “Saudi Reads” campaign, which seeks to strengthen the Saudi literary landscape by encouraging reading and creating meaningful engagement between authors and audiences.  

Jeddah Book Fair’s cultural program reflects the Kingdom’s heritage. (Supplied/@saudibookfairs)

Dr. Abdullatif Al-Wasil, CEO of the commission, said the Jeddah Book Fair reflects the leadership’s continued commitment to cultural development and the rapid growth of the Kingdom’s literature, publishing and translation sector.

He highlighted the fair’s interactive programs for publishers, authors, translators and the public, which are designed to enhance content quality, support creative development and foster knowledge partnerships.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Jeddah Book Fair seeks to strengthen the Saudi literary landscape by encouraging reading and creating meaningful engagement between authors and audiences.  

• It will host prominent writers, thinkers and cultural figures from Saudi Arabia and abroad, offering a 10-day schedule of literary, intellectual and scientific events. 

• The fair will continue to support emerging Saudi voices through the Saudi Authors’ Corner for self-published writers.

The event also reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a cultural hub attracting major publishers, content creators and investors.

This year’s cultural program reflects the Kingdom’s heritage, with over 170 events including lectures, panel discussions and workshops. A dedicated children’s zone will feature literary and entertainment activities tailored to young visitors, along with competitions to inspire reading and creativity.

The fair will host prominent writers, thinkers and cultural figures from Saudi Arabia and abroad, offering a 10-day schedule of literary, intellectual and scientific events. 

Book-signing stations will give readers the chance to meet their favorite authors, while cultural organizations, community groups and universities will present their latest publications and initiatives.  

A manga and anime zone will highlight collectibles from the genre, alongside specialized books. A discounted books section will also be available to promote wider access to reading.  

The fair will continue to support emerging Saudi voices through the Saudi Authors’ Corner for self-published writers, where hundreds of titles across literary and cultural fields will be showcased, underscoring the fair’s role in nurturing local talent and enriching the Kingdom’s evolving literary scene.