Sunjeh Raja

Sunjeh Raja is the Director and CEO of the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA Dubai), an award-winning culinary training centre established in 2005. ICCA Dubai is recognised for offering high-quality culinary education and globally recognised qualifications, accredited by City & Guilds, London, and endorsed by WorldChefs and the Knowledge & Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai. The centre has trained over 12,000 students from more than 20 countries and was named ProChef ME Cooking School of the Year in 2016 and BBC Good Food ‘Culinary School of the Year’ in 2021.

Under Sunjeh’s leadership, ICCA Dubai has gained global recognition and is ranked among the top 10 culinary institutes worldwide. The centre is known for its focus on Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Culinary Arts, offering practical, industry-relevant programmes. Sunjeh also pioneered the ICCA Dubai Culinary Scholarship Program and the One Million Dirhams Continuing Education Award, supporting over 125 young chefs in advancing their careers internationally.

In addition to his work in culinary education, Sunjeh is exploring the future of food through the concept of the "Foodverse," which seeks to revolutionise the food industry through technological and sustainability advancements. He is a strong advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and encourages socially responsible practices within the culinary industry.

Sunjeh’s accolades include being featured in the Caterer Middle East ‘Power 50 List’ for multiple years, receiving the Pro Chef ‘Training Champion’ award in 2014, and winning the Dubai Knowledge Park & Dubai International Academic City ‘Year of Giving’ Award in 2017. He has also contributed to the Dubai Municipality School Initiative in 2018. Before founding ICCA Dubai, Sunjeh held various roles in international operations, deep-sea fishing projects, and cement industry ventures.