20+ Years of
Worldclass Culinary...

Recognised as a leading TVET school in culinary arts, the International Centre for Culinary Arts, ICCA, homegrown in the UAE for the world, delivers award-winning learning to aspiring chefs, artisans, and entrepreneurs from around the world.

ABOUT US

Established in 2005, homegrown in the UAE for the world, ICCA has been featured among the "Top 10 Culinary Institutes in the World" and awarded the "Recognition of Quality Culinary Education" by the World Association of Chefs Societies (Worldchefs), a global authority on food standards.

Remaining committed to helping the talented and deserving but financially underprivileged Young Chefs of the UAE Hospitality Industry, the centre runs the ICCA Dubai Culinary Scholarship Program. This one-of-a-kind and self-supported corporate social initiative, in strategic partnership with the Emirates Culinary Guild and the World Association of Chefs' Societies (Worldchefs), aims to educate and empower the young chefs to achieve their dreams. The Scholarship Program has to date transformed the lives of over 200 industry chefs, with an international education and qualification worth over USD 2.0 Million.

ICCA Graduates do it all in the food world; they are successful Chefs, Restaurant Owners, Hospitality Managers, Entrepreneurs, Food Stylists, Food Writers and more.

The centre has won several international awards, including "Middle East's Best Culinary Training Institution 2023" by the World Culinary Awards, the prestigious City & Guilds, London Lion Awards "International Centre of the Year Award 2016", and "The International Centre for Excellence Award (Middle East)-2016", ProChef ME Cooking School of the Year 2016, the Broadcast Pro Best Digital Initiative of the Year 2016, and BBC Good Food Culinary School of the Year 2022, amongst several others for its application-focused and outcome-driven quality training and continued excellence.

ICCA offers a range of Professional Programs, Amateur Programs, Artisanal Courses for Artisan Development and Professional Development Programs in Culinary.
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Our Mission

“Our mission is to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to thrive in the industry. At ICCA, we transform passion into profession through worldclass culinary learning, along with a pathway to global success.”

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

‍‍ICCA Worldclass Culinary...‍‍
Built for a Skills-Driven Future

Sunjeh Raja

Founder, Director & CEO,

International Centre for Culinary Arts, ICCA Dubai

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs are no longer an alternative pathway. They are fast becoming the backbone of a specialized, skills-led economy where knowledge, application, and execution matter more than ever.

Across the world, governments and industries are actively investing in skill-based education to prepare work-ready professionals who can perform, adapt, and lead from day one.

At ICCA, this shift has always shaped how we teach and train. Our professional, personal, and artisanal programs are designed with a clear focus on application, global standards, industry relevance, and outcomes that translate directly into real-world performance.

With state-of-the-art infrastructure, rigorous quality benchmarks, and learning models rooted in practice, we remain committed to delivering culinary education that prepares learners for today’s kitchens and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Every milestone we achieve reflects this commitment. We challenge conventions, raise the bar, and take pride in building careers, not just qualifications.

This is culinary education with purpose.

This is the ICCA Way...

OUR STORY

TVET in Culinary Arts... 
Application-Focused, Outcome-Driven!

– Shanaaz & Sunjeh Raja

In 2005, we began with a simple yet powerful vision - to change lives through a Culinary Education that mattered.

We believed, and still do, that success in this industry is not defined by certificates alone, but by showing up every day, staying consistent, and performing at a professional standard, not once, but every single time you step into the kitchen. That belief became the foundation for ICCA and everything it has grown to become.

In TVET, we saw the future of culinary education not in theory-heavy classrooms, but in hands-on, immersive learning that mirrors the realities of the professional kitchen. Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) became our foundation, and over the years, it proved to be exactly what the industry needed education that works. While one of us focused on the vision, the other worked tirelessly to shape the programs that would bring it to life—structured, application-focused, and outcome-driven courses that have guided thousands of students toward successful, meaningful careers.

Today, two decades later, what started as a small initiative has grown into a globally recognized institution, homegrown in the UAE for the world. We have trained over 12,000 chefs, worked with many of the world’s top hospitality brands, and built a reputation for quality, consistency, and impact; not because we followed trends, but because we stayed true to the values we began with.

A bold idea that has now become a proven model - we have stayed true to what we set out to do, deliver application-focused, outcome-driven education that helps people make their passion into a profession.

"Every time a student walks into our training kitchens with a dream, we are reminded of why we started. And every time they walk out with confidence and clarity, we know the journey is worth it. ICCA is more than a school; it is where possibilities begin and making lives happen."

Writing The Next Chapter:
ICCA and the Foodverse

From the beginning, ICCA was built to bridge the gap between learning and the real world — to move away from passive instruction and bring in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) that was hands-on, structured, and outcome-driven. Over the years, we’ve helped thousands of students build careers with purpose, confidence, and real kitchen-readiness.But the world is changing. And the way we learn, connect, and grow is evolving too.

Today, success in the food industry requires visibility, adaptability, access to the right networks, and the ability to keep growing long. That’s why we’ve created the Foodverse, the next step in ICCA’s journey, and a new space built for the future of culinary.

Meet Our Alumni

Over 12000 students from more than 20 countries have chosen ICCA over the past 20 years. Here’s what they have to say about their ICCA experience…

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

A worldclass, award-winning experience awaits you at ICCA Dubai. We Are What The World Says...

With The World's Best

Our strategic partnerships with the top international F&B brands,
equipment manufacturers, and ingredient suppliers.

A chef preparing food on a plate in a kitchen.

TEAM ICCA

Meet the faculty & the people who strive to make the magic happen!

Sergio Freitas

Sergio Freitas is known for his love for fusion to create new tastes, flavours and textures, that are not widely expected to be seen or experienced in a surprisingly complementing way. In his over 16 years of honing his knowledge and skills in culinary, he has risen from being a premier emerging chef to becoming a new-age culinary entrepreneur and a seasoned Chef Instructor of repute.

Chef Instructor Hot & Cold Kitchens

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A group of chefs preparing food in a kitchen.

Michelle Tredoux

Michelle is a dynamic and energetic Chef with around 20 years of experience in Culinary, working in hotels and stand-alone restaurants, including the world-renowned 3 Michelin Starred Chef Marco Pierre White’s restaurant and within the aviation sector. She is an expert in her craft and fundamentally thorough and innovatively sound with several cuisines.

Chef Instructor Hot & Cold Kitchens

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Hartono

Passionate about baking, Chef Hartono has always been focused on learning and excelling in his craft of creating high-end pastry products. With over 16 years of culinary experience and working under some of the biggest names in the industry, namely Pierre Gagnaire, he aims to share his knowledge with those keen to enter this field.

Chef Instructor Baking & Patisserie

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Omkar Padwal

Driven by a strong passion for cooking, Omkar Padwal has always believed that food can change the world due to its universality and ability to break barriers.With over a decade of experience working professionally in 5 countries and armed with a Diploma in Patisserie from Le Cordon Bleu, he aims to share his learnings with those passionate about entering the field.

Chef Instructor Baking & Patisserie

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Leonardo Luzalillo

Driven by a strong passion for teaching and working towards contributing to the gastronomic heritage study of Chile, Chef Leonardo Luza Villo has always been focused on excelling in his craft. Armed with Gastronomy Associated Degree from INACAP, Food Innovation Diploma from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and training from Lenôtre Pastry School in Paris, Leonardo Luza Lillo comes with a decade of experience training Pastry Chefs and aims to share his knowledge with those keen to enter this industry.

Chef Instructor Baking & Patisserie

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ALL THINGS ICCA

ICCA is more than a culinary school. Learn what makes us special.

ICCA Open days

Experience ICCA on the ICCA Open Days...

The ICCA Campus

State-of-the-art, world class award-winning facilities

The ICCA Stockpot

The official blog of ICCA - Discover recipes. Meet the legends of culinary. Get unique insights about food.

ICCA Live!

Catch up on previous episodes. Get a sneak peek of what's coming up next.

State of The Art,
International Award-Winning Facility

A campus set for truly worldclass culinary learning with designs that resonate with a sense of harmony, balance, identity, with absolute attention to detail aimed to make your training at ICCA a memorable experience.

The ICCA 90 Day Diploma Programs in Cookery and Baking & Patisserie have been developed through years of experience, industry insight, and a commitment to deliver a worldclass culinary learning that is application-focused and outcome-driven.

ALL THINGS ICCA

A World of Culinary Arts...

A wide range of programs accredited by the internationally renowned City & Guilds, London, and recognised by the Worldchefs, for aspiring chefs, serious enthusiasts, artisans and entrepreneurs interested in Professional and Amateur Programs in Cookery, Baking & Patisserie; and Artisanal Courses in Bread, Chocolate, Gelato, Coffee, Sugarcraft, Pizza, and more; including Team Building activities, Culinary Competitions, and Corporate Solutions.

With The World's Best brands

Strategic partnerships with world-leading original equipment manufacturers, ingredient suppliers for real-world learning.

Mentors