royal academy of culinary arts

What royal academy of culinary arts does

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) is a private non-profit Jordanian technical university college headquartered in Amman that delivers post-secondary education in culinary arts and food and beverage management. Founded in 2008 under the vision of King Abdullah II as a King Abdullah II Fund for Development project, RACA operates a single campus with seven lecture halls (each capped at ~30 students), training kitchens simulating five-star hotel environments (capped at 15 students each), a culinary library of more than 3,000 volumes, and two student-operated fine-dining venues (Top Restaurant and La Panquette). Academic offerings include a four-year Bachelor Degree in Food & Beverage Management, a Two-Year Academic Diploma in Culinary Arts, and one- and two-year Professional Diplomas in Culinary Arts, supplemented by short courses (Italian, Mediterranean, Asian, sushi, pastry, bread-making) capped at 12 participants. Curriculum is co-developed with Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), of which RACA is a certified member of the EHL Network of Certified Schools; delivery uses iPad-based learning integrated with interactive whiteboards since 2016.

RACA generates revenue primarily from academic tuition across degree and diploma programs, plus short-course fees, on-campus restaurant operations, industry consulting through its Industry Services unit, alumni business promotion services, and team-building/private venue rentals. Pricing for degree programs is not publicly disclosed; an application fee of 30 Jordanian Dinars applies, with installment payment plans and scholarships available. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct recruitment, on-campus enrollment, an online application portal, and a 3D virtual campus tour (RACA 360). Mandatory internship semesters are channeled through partnerships with 15+ international and regional five-star hotel brands in Jordan (Fairmont, Four Seasons, Hilton, Marriott, Kempinski, Intercontinental, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Grand Hyatt, W Amman, and others), giving graduates direct industry access and producing the 700+ alumni placed in the regional hospitality sector. RACA holds Ministry of Higher Education accreditation, EFQM Commitment to Excellence certification, Worldchefs quality recognition, and UNWTO certification for the Culinary Arts Diploma (valid through January 16, 2030).

Name

royal academy of culinary arts

Legal name

Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

Website

https://raca.edu.jo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RACA is a private non-profit Jordanian technical university college in Amman delivering culinary arts and food & beverage management education, serving high school graduates and hospitality professionals through degree, diploma, and short-course programs developed with Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Culinary Arts & Hospitality Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Culinary Arts (Chef Training) (EDAOAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional & Commercial Kitchen Training (Schools/Healthcare/Corporate) (EDAOAKAL), Culinary Arts & Cooking (Baking, Pastry, Global Cuisines) (EDAAAGAG), Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)

Keywords

• Culinary arts education
• Hospitality management training
• Professional chef diplomas
• Vocational culinary programs
• Food and beverage degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Academic Tuition Fees: Revenue from degree and diploma programs including Bachelor in Food & Beverage Management, Two-Year Academic Diploma in Culinary Arts, One-Year Professional Diploma in Culinary Arts, and Two-Year Professional Diploma in Culinary Arts.
2. Short Courses: Short cooking courses, pastry and baking workshops, and hospitality/food & beverage workshops offered to culinary enthusiasts and professionals. Includes 10% early registration discount.
3. Team Building Activities: Customized team building workshops and private venue rentals for personal and exclusive events.
4. Alumni Business Promotion Services: Services supporting alumni entrepreneurs with business plans, opportunities creation, and overcoming challenges.
5. Industry Consulting Services: Consulting services provided to the hospitality industry through the Industry Services department.
6. On-campus Restaurant Operations: Revenue from student-operated restaurants including Top Restaurant and Banquuit, offering fine dining experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) is a private non-profit technical university college that delivers post-secondary education in culinary arts and food & beverage management. It offers a Bachelor Degree in Food & Beverage Management, Two-Year Academic and Professional Diplomas in Culinary Arts, a One-Year Professional Diploma, short culinary courses, and operates student-run fine dining restaurants (Top Restaurant and La Panquette). Programs are developed in partnership with Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) and include mandatory internships at five-star hotel partners.

Product overview

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts offers a comprehensive portfolio of culinary and hospitality education programs. The core academic offerings include a four-year Bachelor Degree in Food & Beverage Management, a Two-Year Diploma in Culinary Arts (academic), and two professional diploma programs (Two-Year and One-Year) in Culinary Arts. The institution also provides short continuing education courses in various culinary specialties. Practical training is delivered through on-campus facilities including the Top Restaurant fine dining venue and La Panquette French restaurant. Industry services include consulting and the TVT (Training, Vocational, Technical) program for workforce development. All programs are accredited by the Jordanian Ministry of Higher Education and developed in partnership with EHL - Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor Degree in Food & Beverage Management A four-year bachelor's program that combines culinary arts with hospitality management, preparing graduates for management positions in hotels, restaurants, catering companies, hospitals, and other food service operations. Includes mandatory internship components. Accredited by the Jordanian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
• Two-Year Diploma in Culinary Arts An integrated two-year academic program covering the theoretical and practical aspects needed to start a professional career in five-star hotels as a qualified chef. Includes a mandatory internship semester. Requires successful completion of high school for admission.
• Two-Year Professional Diploma in Culinary Arts A two-year professional diploma designed for aspiring chefs to work in five-star hotels and restaurants, including one semester of practical internship at five-star hotels. Requires successful completion of high school; application fee 30 JOD.
• One-Year Professional Diploma in Culinary Arts A one-year intensive professional diploma preparing students for entry into the hospitality industry and for launching their own projects in the food service sector. Ideal for individuals wanting shorter commitment to start culinary careers.
• Short Courses in Culinary Arts Short cooking courses, pastry and baking workshops, and hospitality/food & beverage workshops offered to culinary enthusiasts and professionals. Includes Italian, Mediterranean, Asian, and Chinese cuisine, sushi making, pastry, and bread-making. Maximum 12 participants per practical session. 10% discount for early registration.
• Top Restaurant A fine dining restaurant operated by graduating students under professional supervision, offering international cuisine with premium hospitality service during evening hours. Functions as a practical training venue for students.
• La Panquette (البانكويت) An upscale French dining experience offering French dishes in a modern way with high hospitality standards, hosting events including receptions, business meetings, and dinner parties. Operated by students as a practical training venue.
• Industry Consulting Services Consulting services provided to the hospitality industry for culinary operations, menu development, and food service management, delivered through the academy's Industry Services department.
• TVT Program (Training, Vocational, Technical) A technical and vocational training program designed to meet industry needs for skilled culinary professionals, offered to hospitality employers for workforce development.
• Team Building Activities and Private Venue Rentals Customized team-building culinary workshops and private venue rentals for personal and exclusive events, offered to corporate groups and individuals seeking private culinary experiences on campus.

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership signed in 2018 for continuous development of academic programs, development of faculty skills, and quality requirements. RACA is a certified member of the EHL Network of Certified Schools. EHL was founded in 1893 in Lausanne, Switzerland as the world's first and oldest university specialized in hotel management, ranked number one globally in the hospitality sector. The partnership involves transferring Swiss hospitality education philosophy, curriculum development, brand enhancement, and entrepreneurial mindset cultivation among students.
• King Abdullah II Fund for DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008One of the development projects of the King Abdullah II Fund for Development. The fund aims to support youth employment, empower women, promote domestic tourism, and reduce reliance on foreign expertise in the hotel and restaurant sectors. The academy was established in 2008 as a private non-profit Jordanian educational institution under royal patronage.
• ATICO Fakhreldin GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their five-star hotel properties in Jordan.
• Fairmont AmmancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their luxury hotel property in Amman.
• Four SeasonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their luxury hotel property in Jordan.
• Kempinski Hotel AqabacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their five-star hotel property in Aqaba.
• Marriott Resort Dead SeacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their resort property at the Dead Sea.
• Intercontinental Aqaba ResortcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their luxury resort property in Aqaba.
• Crowne Plaza Jordan Dead Sea Resort & SpacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their resort property at the Dead Sea.
• Hilton Dead Sea Resort & SpacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their resort property at the Dead Sea.
• Grand Hyatt AmmancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their luxury hotel property in Amman.
• Sheraton Amman Al Nabil HotelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their five-star hotel property in Amman.
• Rotana AmmancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their hotel property in Amman.
• The St. Regus AmmancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their hotel property in Amman.
• W AmmancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their luxury hotel property in Amman.
• Holiday Inn Resort Dead SeacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students at their resort property at the Dead Sea.
• ArjaancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner providing internship and placement opportunities for culinary students.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Les Roches: Swiss-founded global hospitality and culinary school. RACA was originally affiliated with Les Roches before transitioning to the EHL partnership in 2018, making Les Roches the most historically and operationally comparable peer.
• International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) Dubai: UAE-based culinary arts school offering diploma and short courses with strong industry placement pipelines. Closest direct regional peer in scale, program structure, and target student segment for Middle East culinary education.
• Institute of Culinary Education (ICE): US-based culinary and pastry arts school offering diploma programs, short courses, and recreational classes. Directly comparable in program-mix (professional diplomas + continuing education) and target customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL): The world's #1-ranked hospitality management university founded in 1893, whose Network of Certified Schools includes RACA. EHL is the curriculum and brand partner that defines RACA's value proposition and is the gold-standard incumbent in the same category.
• Le Cordon Bleu: Global culinary arts and hospitality school founded in 1895 in Paris. A broad incumbent in the same culinary-education category with international brand recognition and premium positioning comparable to RACA's.
• Culinary Institute of America: Premier US culinary school offering degree programs, continuing education, and industry consulting. Comparable at the program-mix level (degree, diploma, professional courses, industry services).
• École Ducasse: French-founded international culinary and pastry arts school offering bachelor and professional programs. Comparable as a multi-program culinary educator with a strong hospitality-adjacent curriculum and global campus footprint.
• Glion Institute of Higher Education: Swiss hospitality management school with campuses in Switzerland and the UK. Comparable as a senior Swiss-affiliated hospitality and culinary higher-education institution targeting similar international student demographics.

Regional players

• Saudi Culinary Arts Institute: Saudi Arabia-based culinary training provider that has emerged to serve Vision 2030 hospitality workforce demand — directly comparable to RACA's mission and a potential competitor for regional talent placement.
• High Institute of Tourism and Hotel Studies (HITHS) Egypt: Egyptian hospitality and culinary education institution serving a similar geographic segment. Comparable at the regional higher-education-in-hospitality level, with similar positioning for workforce development in MENA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RACAJordan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RACAJORDAN1
• Facebookfacebook.com/RACAJordan
• Instagraminstagram.com/racajordan

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about royal academy of culinary arts