Alshaya Group first in MENA region to offer global hospitality certification

As part of its ongoing investment in people, Alshaya Group, one of the world's leading brand franchise operators has launched the Alshaya Global Hospitality Certification (AGHC), a unique international culinary certification to help develop the careers of its professional culinary employees.

With a wide portfolio of award-winning restaurants including The Cheesecake Factory, P F Chang’s, Texas RoadHouse, Asha's, Dean & Deluca, Bouchon Bakery and Princi, Alshaya Group has a strong hospitality footprint in the region bringing customers a wide choice of well-loved international restaurant brands.

The Alshaya Global Hospitality Certification (AGHC) is recognised by the City & Guilds of London Institute (City & Guilds) and endorsed by the World Association of Chef’s Societies (Worldchefs). The first of its kind in the region the certification programme provides employees in Alshaya Group’s hospitality division with professional recognition for their skills and expertise, benchmarked to international standards.

AGHC is fully funded by Alshaya for its employees as part of Alshaya’s ongoing investment in its people and provides a fully portable, practical, and professional qualification. Certification is broken down into five levels, depending on the employee’s expertise and level of responsibility. No exams or study time is needed, and certification is based solely on experience and level of responsibility and is assessed by an independent panel. Certification is made in the form of a digital badge, which provides a portable secure method to showcase achievements and allows for a physical certificate to be printed, if required.

AGHC will make it possible for Alshaya employees to get recognised for the skills and experience they have developed whilst working and will help them stand out from the crowd as their career develops.

Matthew Holgate, president -

Hospitality Division at Alshaya Group said, “We are delighted to have partnered with Worldchefs and City & Guilds to introduce this international culinary certification for our employees. We continually invest in our people and recognise that career development and training is critically important to maintaining worldleading levels of excellence. Professional development is key to this and we have seen what incredible things can happen when our employees are empowered.”