UNOX Arabia has appointed Corporate Chefs Chef Wael Al Salem and Chef Ihab Abou-Shakra following the launch of its Riyadh Experience Center earlier this year
Based at the centre, the chefs will provide culinary training, live demonstrations, recipe development and consultations for chefs, restaurants, hotels, bakeries and food businesses across Saudi Arabia. With more than a decade of international experience, Chef Wael Al Salem has worked across luxury hospitality, fine dining and large-scale catering in Saudi Arabia and the US, including collaborations with five-star hotels, Hollywood studios and Chef Wolfgang Puck.
“Coming back from the US and accepting this role as a Corporate Chef at UNOX Arabia was a challenge that I am really excited for,” said Chef Wael Al Salem.
Chef Ihab Abou-Shakra joins UNOX Arabia with more than 10 years of experience across luxury hotels and restaurants in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Specialising in Oriental and international cuisine, he brings expertise in kitchen operations, menu development, food safety, banquet operations and team leadership, with a focus on building efficient kitchen teams and maintaining high standards.
“I am extremely excited to reach my potential as a chef with UNOX in my new role as a Corporate Chef and help UNOX Arabia reach incredible new levels in the industry,” said Chef Ihab Abou-Shakra.
“Our mission has always been to support chefs beyond simply supplying equipment,” said Abdallah Kassis, General Manager of UNOX Arabia. “Chef Wael and Chef Ihab bring exceptional experience, international perspective, and a genuine passion for sharing knowledge. Their expertise will allow us to offer even greater value to our customers, helping them overcome kitchen challenges, improve efficiency, and continue raising culinary standards across the Kingdom.”
Together, Chef Wael Al Salem and Chef Ihab Abou-Shakra will support UNOX Arabia’s hospitality network through practical training, cooking demonstrations and guidance on maximising the capabilities of its latest technologies, including CHEFTOP-X™, BAKERTOP-X™ and SPEED.Compact™ ovens.
Their appointments further position the UNOX Arabia Experience Center as a hub for culinary training, technical expertise and innovation, supporting the growth of Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector.