Abdullah Alghufaily: Psychiatrist by day, pastry chef by night

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Abdullah Alghufaily’s journey from medical school to becoming a psychiatrist and a passionate pastry chef is a tale of pursuing one’s dreams. (Photo/Instagram: @abodbinmoha)
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Abdullah Alghufaily’s journey from medical school to becoming a psychiatrist and a passionate pastry chef is a tale of pursuing one’s dreams. (Photo/Instagram: @abodbinmoha)
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Abdullah Alghufaily’s journey from medical school to becoming a psychiatrist and a passionate pastry chef is a tale of pursuing one’s dreams. (Photo/Instagram: @abodbinmoha)
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Abdullah Alghufaily’s journey from medical school to becoming a psychiatrist and a passionate pastry chef is a tale of pursuing one’s dreams. (Photo/Instagram: @abodbinmoha)
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Updated 23 October 2023
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Abdullah Alghufaily: Psychiatrist by day, pastry chef by night

  • Abdullah Alghufaily’s business offers creative baked goods with a monthly twist

RIYADH: Baking pastries, a hobby that provided an escape and a coping mechanism during his last years at medical school, eventually turned into a passion that became Abdullah Alghufaily’s profession.

Alghufaily is now a psychiatrist by day and a pastry chef at night. He opens his first pastry shop this week.

His baking journey began with a simple cheesecake. With no prior experience in the kitchen, he started mixing and folding ingredients together, following the recipe he found on YouTube.

That source soon proved insufficient to satisfy Alghufaily’s curiosity about baking and pastries.

He said: “I wanted to raise the quality of the pastry I was making because you reach a stage where YouTube is no longer a helpful resource. I wanted to dig deeper and develop a real understanding of pastry.” 

He wandered through bookstores, searching for the key to delve into the science of baking, but found himself struggling with the basics.

A golden ticket arrived from the Misk Foundation in late 2019, helping Alghufaily toward becoming the pastry chef he is today. It was an opportunity to study the science of baking at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, the pastry capital of the world.

Misk’s program was offered during Alghufaily’s final year of medical school at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science in Riyadh.

“I couldn’t turn this rare chance down, as it costs around SR1 million ($266,000) to study there, with the living costs added, so I had to postpone my last year and request a leave of absence for one whole year,” he said.

“It wasn’t an easy thing to do. I had to get the approval from my family and the university, which wasn’t easy because the longest duration offered for a leave of absence at the university is usually one to two months.”

After obtaining approval, Alghufaily packed his luggage with a mixing bowl and measuring cups and headed to the pastry capital of the world. 

Alghufaily started the program at Le Cordon Bleu in early 2020, a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was affecting the world.

He said: “With COVID-19 happening, I felt I was in a race against time as the time I requested off to be in Paris was going to waste.

“I needed to request another leave of absence, and I was struggling as I wasn’t sure of anything and all of my plans seemed vague then.”

Everything eventually worked out for Alghufaily. He completed his program at Le Cordon Bleu, received a diploma in pastry, and then traveled back to Riyadh to complete his medical degree.

He said: “Attending Le Cordon Bleu honed my skills as a pastry chef, but being in Paris and trying different pastry shops made me the chef I am today. 

“The pastry shops in Paris are run by chefs of different nationalities, each infusing flavors of their own culture into the pastries they make, and this enables you to build a framework of different flavors.”

Paris had a significant impact on Alghufaily, and the baked goods he has chosen to include in the menu of his dream business.

While designing the blueprint for it, Alghufaily made a name for himself by showcasing his talent and baked goods at several food festivals across the Kingdom and abroad.

He said: “I participated in the Saudi Coffee Festival and the Saudi Feast Food Festival in Riyadh, with specially made waffles infused with kleija spices playing with local flavors.

“The waffles with kleija spices were a hit and traveled all the way to Paris as I was given the opportunity by the Saudi Fashion Commission to participate in Paris Fashion Week as part of a pop-up event held in France to showcase Saudi’s creative talents.”

Alghufaily’s waffles with kleija spices will soon be available, along with other items, in his first shop, Floated, which opens for business this week following its soft opening on Thursday.

Floated is creative and unique, and promises new items monthly.

Pointing at a glass box outside of the shop, Alghufaily said: “This box will display the product of the month.

“The name Floated came from the idea that this shop doesn’t have a fixed menu. What we are doing is floating with different flavors. You can find the most unexpected, delicious baked goods at a low cost here, something everyone can enjoy.”


3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh

Updated 25 November 2024
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3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh

  • More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference

RIYADH: The third edition of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity opened in Riyadh on Sunday, bringing together a select group of experts and talented individuals in science, technology, and innovation.

More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference, which was inaugurated by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, governor of Riyadh region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, also known as "Mawhiba," the conference is being held at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) until Tuesday.

Themed "Beyond Creative Minds," the conference aims to showcase the potential of the gifted, develop a comprehensive care system to support them, bolster integration and strategic partnerships, and enhance opportunities for global exchange and cooperation.

An exhibition and various cultural visits are being held on the conference sidelines, the SPA report said.

According to the Mawhiba site, the conference reflects the success achieved in the two previous editions, and "provides an opportunity for partners to contribute to sponsoring the journey of talented people from different countries of the world."

 

 


Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields

Updated 25 November 2024
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Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields

  • Saudi minister of state discussed with EU security and political officials strengthening existing work on dealing with climate change

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met with European officials on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Jubeir, who is also the Saudi climate envoy, held talks with Delphine Pronk, the Chair of the EU Political and Security Committee, and Luigi Di Maio, the EU Special Representative for the Gulf region.
They discussed issues surrounding climate change and the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the EU in environmental fields, SPA added.
They discussed ways to strengthen their existing cooperation on tackling climate change and the recent development in foreign policy in Europe and the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia maintains a strong dialogue with the EU, and both parties share close views on several foreign policy issues, including the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative for the Middle East, which aims to create a prosperous region for all its people and end the cycle of conflict.
The EU and Saudi Arabia are also linked through trade relations, which made the EU the Kingdom's second trading partner after the volume of trade exchange between Riyadh and Brussels peaked at $80 billion in 2023.


Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

Updated 24 November 2024
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Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in an expanded ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Fiuggi, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The meeting will discuss the current situation in the Middle East, SPA added.

During his stay in Fiuggi, Prince Faisal will hold a number of discussions that will address regional and international issues.


Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister

Updated 24 November 2024
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Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister

  • Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance

RIYADH: CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Al-Marshad received First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Hokim Kholiqzoda and his accompanying delegation in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, the Saudi fund’s development projects were discussed, as well as ways to enhance development cooperation between both sides, the official account wrote on X.

Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance.

Kholiqzoda’s visit included a tour of the Saudi fund’s exhibition center, which showcases the organization’s 50-year journey, including notable development projects and their impacts on the lives of beneficiaries.

 


World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

Updated 24 November 2024
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World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

  • Top World Health Organization official commends Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field

RIYADH: The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday. 

The event unites leading medical experts, humanitarian organizations, and families from around the globe to share vital insights, discuss innovative separation techniques, and forge collaborative pathways in the pursuit of improved lives for conjoined twins. 

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar delivered a speech on behalf of King Salman celebrating the achievements of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has become a global leader in the field.

“Since 1990, 143 cases of twins from 26 countries have been reviewed by my dear colleagues, who have successfully separated a total of 61 pairs of twins to date,” he said. 

Prince Faisal added that it is the only program globally specializing in separating conjoined twins, making it one of the largest humanitarian medical programs in the world. 

He also highlighted a recent milestone: the UN General Assembly is considering an initiative by Saudi Arabia to designate Nov. 24 as the annual World Conjoined Twins Day.

In a video address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, congratulated Saudi Arabia on its leadership in organizing the conference.

“I commend Saudi Arabia for its leadership in organizing this important World Conjoined Twins Day Conference,” he said. 

This recognition would honor the medical and humanitarian efforts in this field and highlight the challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families. 

Ghebreyesus praised the initiative as a model for global collaboration in rare and complex medical cases. 

“The conference provides critical insights, from surgical innovations to long-term strategies, shaping rare initiatives. A broader platform and registry for congenital anomalies would benefit low and middle-income countries,” he said.

A keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief.

As the head of the multidisciplinary team for the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, Al-Rabeeah provided insights into the occurrence and challenges associated with conjoined twins.

The history of conjoined twin separation reveals both the challenges and progress in medical science. 

“The first successful separation was by Johannes Fatio back in 1689 by using a constricting band for a set of Omphalopagus twins or those sharing liver and gastrointestinal organs,” he said.

With a 0.5 percent incidence rate, this early success involved “presumably, a small joining in the skin, probably a little bit of the liver,” said Al-Rabeeah. 

He added that a major breakthrough came in 1957 with the first successful separation of Craniopagus, or twins sharing one brain. 

Al-Rabeeah said that the epidemiology shows distinct patterns: “In Western countries, it’s been estimated that we get one conjoined twins in every 50 to 200,000 births.” 

He added that, however, it is more prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa, “presumably because identical twinning and twinning is (found) more in dark-skinned people in Africa and also in Southeast Asia, increasing the incidence.”

The survival statistics, Al-Rabeeah reported, entail that “60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn, and those who live 40 percent of them will die in the first few days of life, and 70 percent of those who would survive will be females.”

He emphasized that the reasons behind this regional disparity remain unknown and require further research.

Throughout the conference, leading medical professionals presented their expertise on various aspects of caring for and separating conjoined twins. Topics included embryology, multidisciplinary team-building, antenatal care, and labor management. 

Dr. Nadia Al-Ghilan, from the maternal-fetal medicine department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, gave a presentation titled “Caring for Conjoined Twins: A Prenatal Journey,” describing the complex process of managing pregnancies involving conjoined twins.  

She said that caring for conjoined twins is a complex and delicate process as it requires meticulous prenatal planning and a dedicated medical team.

Al-Ghilan said that “this journey is filled with unique challenges, ethical considerations, and the utmost care to ensure the best possible outcomes for the twins and their family.” 

Early diagnosis, she stressed, is critical for effective prenatal referral, counseling, and planning for delivery and postnatal care.  

Al-Ghilan also underscored the importance of genetic testing in understanding the chromosomal health of conjoined twins. 

“Techniques like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling can help identify genetic abnormalities, providing valuable information for developing treatment strategies.”

The conference not only serves as a platform for scientific exchange but also fosters dialogue on building global partnerships to support conjoined twins and their families, particularly in low and middle income countries. The conference emphasized the importance of comprehensive care, from prenatal counseling to post-separation rehabilitation. 

For over 30 years, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has stood as a beacon of hope for families worldwide. The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins is set to continue this legacy, inspiring further advancements in the care and treatment of conjoined twins globally.