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.”


OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

Updated 14 November 2024
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OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

  • It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute
  • Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds

JEDDAH: The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a meeting of the open-ended Group of Governmental Experts in Jeddah on Thursday.
It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute, in accordance with the Council of Foreign Ministers.
OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha said that the meeting was held amid difficult and harsh humanitarian circumstances that required concerted efforts and collective action to adopt actions to help contain humanitarian crises and hardships.
In his speech, Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds, undertake the necessary reforms to their working mechanism and support them with the financial resources to enable them to fulfil their role.
The statement delivered by assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural and social affairs, ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, on behalf of OIC’s secretary-general, highlighted the significant challenges faced by member states in the humanitarian field.


KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan

Updated 59 min 8 sec ago
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KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan

  • KSrelief will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies

KABUL: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has launched a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan to Afghanistan and victims of the 2024 floods.

It will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies across the provinces of Kabul, Ghazni, Bamyan, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Parwan, Kapisa, Panjshir, Herat, Nimroz, Nangarhar and Laghman. The project will help 29,292 people.

The scheme is part of the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief efforts, through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people.


KSrelief wins Global Humanitarian Achievement Award

Delano Roosevelt, CEO of National Council on US-Arab Relations, presents the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief.
Updated 14 November 2024
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KSrelief wins Global Humanitarian Achievement Award

  • Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington
  • Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts

WASHINGTON: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief was honored with the Global Humanitarian Achievement Award by the National Council on US-Arab Relations, in recognition of relief efforts that have made a substantial impact in crisis regions around the world.

Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts.

He underlined the Kingdom’s commitment to assisting people in need, supporting those affected by crises, and assisting refugees wherever possible.

He also affirmed that Saudi Arabia has consistently been a leader in charitable and humanitarian initiatives and is at the forefront of donor countries on regional and international fronts.


4th Saudi Green Initiative Forum hosted in COP16 Green Zone in Riyadh next month

Updated 14 November 2024
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4th Saudi Green Initiative Forum hosted in COP16 Green Zone in Riyadh next month

RIYADH: The Saudi Green Initiative announced on Thursday that the SGI Forum 2024 will take place on Dec. 3-4 under the theme “Action is in our nature.” 

The flagship climate and environment action event, now in its fourth year, will return to Riyadh for the first time since its launch in 2021 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, prime minister and chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Saudi Green Initiative.

The SGI Forum 2024 will coincide with the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties, or COP16, of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD. 

According to an SGI press release, the Riyadh COP16 (Dec. 2-13) will be the largest-ever UNCCD conference, the first to be held in the Middle East region, and the largest multilateral conference hosted by Saudi Arabia.

At this year’s SGI Forum, hundreds of policymakers, business leaders and subject-matter experts from across the world will convene in a dedicated SGI Pavilion in the UNCCD COP16 Green Zone. 

Dozens of tailored sessions will explore best practices, innovations and progress against SGI targets, with the goal of deepening collaboration and scaling up action for a greener future.

Since the launch of SGI, a significant positive impact has been achieved, with 4+ GW of renewable energy capacity installed, more than 95 million trees and shrubs planted, and more than 1,660 endangered animals re-wilded across the Kingdom.

For the duration of COP16, the SGI will welcome the public to a 4,000 sq m SGI Pavilion, where visitors can enjoy an interactive journey through Saudi Arabia’s whole-of-society climate and environment efforts in the SGI Gallery. 

A multimedia showcase and a broad range of experts will enable guests to learn more about the more than 80 initiatives already launched as part of SGI. 

Visitors can also attend and exchange ideas during daily SGI Talks, an expert-led speaker series that launched in 2023.

The SGI was launched by the crown prince in 2021 to drive climate action across all levels of society and achieve Saudi Arabia’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. 

The initiative demonstrates the Kingdom’s dedication to improving the quality of life for current and future generations and addressing the region’s environmental challenges, including high temperatures, low rainfall, dust storms and desertification.

In 2022, the SGI Forum was held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in tandem with UNFCCC COP27. The event revealed major climate action projects, including the launch of a circular carbon economy knowledge hub, and the establishment of a regional center for advancing emissions reduction with UNESCWA.

In 2023, the third SGI Forum took place in conjunction with UNFCCC COP28 in Dubai.

During the event, the Kingdom unveiled a 300 percent increase in installed renewable energy capacity since 2022, and more than 43 million trees were planted toward the goal of 10 billion.


Film review: ‘Gladiator II’ — entertaining, and a fun romp

Updated 14 November 2024
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Film review: ‘Gladiator II’ — entertaining, and a fun romp

RIYADH: After years of waiting, “Gladiator II,” a sequel to the epic saga “Gladiator” (2000), has finally hit the screen.

The film, released in VOX Cinemas, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 14, had a premiere at VOX Cinemas, Roshn Front in Riyadh on Tuesday evening.

Directed by legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott, “Gladiator II” continues the epic saga of power, intrigue and vengeance in Ancient Rome.

Starring Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Fred Hechinger, the action genre release offers full entertainment, and serves as a follow-up to Scott’s “Gladiator,” released almost 25 years ago.

Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist.

With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

With “Gladiator II” expected to have its work cut out trying to prove it can stand toe to toe with Scott’s highly regarded epic, the film is not exactly what fans have been expecting. It is no patch on the original, to be sure, but it is still a good fun time at the movies, with Mescal and Washington stealing the show. It is entertaining, and a fun romp.

Scott’s return to the Roman arena is something of a repeat, but it is still a thrilling spectacle and Mescal a formidable lead.

Set about 25 years after “Gladiator,” we are reintroduced to Lucius (Mescal), the now grown son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and Maximus (Russell Crowe). He lives with his wife and child in Numidia as a respected warrior, but a far cry from his birthright. When a battalion of Roman soldiers, led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades his land, his wife is killed in the battle, resulting in Lucius’ capture and enslavement. Passed along, he ends up in Rome, seen as fodder for the masses.

Obviously inspired by the similar predicamen    t of Maximus, Lucius quietly resolves to fight as a gladiator in the Colosseum. His silent reasoning and overwhelming abilities are noteworthy, capturing the attention of Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave. Macrinus has designs on the throne of Rome, plotting to overthrow young emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn), taking Lucius under his wing in the process. As all of these people come together and realize Lucius’ connection; blood is spilt and lives are lost, but in the end Lucius takes his revenge.

“Gladiator II” is a good time at the multiplex, both for fans of the first one and those who do not have any extra affection.