Yasser Jad

Responsibilities

• Developed and executed a comprehensive culinary and hospitality strategy aligned with Vision 2030 Quality of Life objectives and the Royal Commission's ambition to position Riyadh as the region's culinary capital.
• Strengthened local and international food identity by integrating Saudi culture and heritage, supporting initiatives that enhance Riyadh's position as a leading gastronomic tourism destination.

Key Achievements

• Led the establishment of the "Street Food" initiative in Central Riyadh, advancing Quality of Life goals, supporting the creative economy, empowering entrepreneurs and delivering a modern Saudi and international culinary experience.
• Initiated formal engagement with Michelin to enable local restaurants to access global classification standards, elevating service quality, attracting investment and enhancing tourism appeal.
• Designed and delivered a high-profile diplomatic gala dinner attended by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the Riyadh Expo 2030 candidacy reception in Paris (June 2023), showcasing contemporary Saudi cuisine and hospitality.
• Designed and executed the official hospitality programme for the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) delegation during the Expo 2030 evaluation visit in Riyadh, aligned with international protocol standards.

Responsibilities

• Designed in-flight menus across all cabin classes.
• Managed and monitored menu costs and end-to-end catering operations, domestically and internationally.
• Developed new food & beverage products and onboard service equipment.
• Evaluated the operational performance of contracted airline caterers within and outside the Kingdom.

Key Achievements

• Operational team member in transforming Saudia's catering sector into a profitable entity and preparing it for listing on the Saudi Exchange.
• Contributed to a new onboard service concept across all classes — service equipment, meal presentation and menu structure (2011).
• Contributed to the launch of "All Day Dining" across all cabin classes (2012).
• Contributed to the "On-Board Chef" concept for First Class (2016).
• Contributed to a five-star service model, including "Bistro Dining" for Economy and "Any Dish, Any Time" for Business and First (2018).
• Designed 20 specialised meals for passengers with medical and dietary requirements.
• Launched the Net Promoter Score (NPS) programme to measure and improve satisfaction with onboard food & beverage.

Responsibilities

• Oversaw all kitchen departments and production lines within the airline catering unit.
• Led the full culinary team, resolving operational challenges and ensuring smooth workflow and target achievement.
• Designed and presented food and beverage menus for multiple contracted airlines.
• Developed new recipes, menu items and onboard F&B products for airline clients.
• Directed recruitment, training and professional development of culinary staff.

Key Achievements

• Member of the operational team that transformed Saudia's catering sector into a profit-driven entity, leading to its listing on Tadawul.
• Improved production-line efficiency, routinely producing 70,000 meals a day and up to 100,000 a day during the Hajj season.
• Coordinated production planning and menu management for 41 international airlines in addition to Saudia.
• Achieved a 97% on-time performance rate in meal uplift and delivery to aircraft.
• Received multiple letters of appreciation from international airlines for product quality and consistency.

Responsibilities

• Led quality assurance, health prevention, food safety and evaluation across kitchens and production lines; prepared weekly and monthly performance reports.
• Developed and enforced quality standards, policies and controls in line with ISO 9001 and ISO 22000; managed internal and external audits.
• Delivered food safety training to all kitchen staff and chefs.
• Monitored raw-material quality and shelf life before production.
• Oversaw service quality, customer satisfaction, efficiency and benchmarking, reporting to senior management.
• Defined quality specifications and raw-material requirements with suppliers.

Key Achievements

• Led the implementation of ISO-based quality standards and production-line food safety systems.
• Supervised an HACCP awareness film for the Mercury Awards; raised food safety adherence to 95% and trained more than 3,000 employees.
• Established advanced on-the-job training programmes aligned with ISO standards.
• Helped make Saudia Catering one of the first Saudi companies to obtain HACCP and OHSAS certifications in the early 1990s.

Responsibilities

• Oversaw food preparation, storage and dispatch to ensure compliance with HACCP and ISO 22000.
• Directed quality control inspectors and production supervisors.
• Trained employees on food safety regulations and best practice.
• Inspected production lines, storage and packing areas; monitored temperature control and product validity.
• Identified food safety risks and implemented preventive measures.
• Investigated complaints and non-compliance cases and implemented corrective actions.