Executive Chef & Culinary Operations Leader
Executive Summary
Sanad Ahmed Houzen is a results-driven Executive Chef and Culinary Operations Leader with over 20 years of progressive experience managing luxury culinary operations across hotels, resorts, Nile cruises, floating hotels, and large-scale hospitality environments. He specializes in executive kitchen management, pre-opening projects, menu engineering, food cost optimization, HACCP implementation, and culinary team leadership. His cuisine expertise spans Italian, Mediterranean, International, Fusion, and Contemporary styles.
Key Leadership Experience
- Executive Chef at Arena Beach Resort & Spa (Pre-Opening, Hurghada, Egypt): Leading the complete pre-opening culinary strategy and kitchen establishment for a 600-room luxury resort featuring buffet, fine dining, and Italian specialty outlets since May 2026.
- Executive Chef on the Viking Antars Nile Cruise (Luxor, Egypt): Managed daily luxury cruise culinary operations, food purchasing, inventory, budget control, and HACCP compliance from September 2023 to May 2026.
- Executive Chef at Legend Management for Hotels (Alexandria, Egypt): Oversaw hotel restaurants, banquets, and catering services while improving food cost performance and menu profitability from April 2021 to September 2022.
- Executive Chef at Myfier Luxury Cruises (Luxor, Egypt): Led the pre-opening and launch phases of a luxury floating hotel, establishing kitchen systems, SOPs, and international menus from August 2019 to April 2021.
- Prior Leadership Roles: Held progressive management positions including Executive Sous Chef at Hawaii Caesar Palace and Regina Swiss Inn Resort, Senior Sous Chef at Montillon Grand Horizon and Makadi Spa Hotels, Sous Chef on Seven Spice Cruise Ships, and various chef positions at Concorde El Salam Hotel and Sunrise Mamlouk Palace.
Education & Credentials
- Academic Degrees: Holds an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from Alexandria University (2013) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from American International Theism University (2023).
- Worldchefs Certifications: Worldchefs Certified Executive Chef (WCEC), Worldchefs Certified Master Chef, and Worldchefs Certified Culinary Educator.
- Professional Qualifications: Holds a Strategy & Operations Certificate from IBMI Berlin, a Professional Diploma in Hotel Operations Strategy from Cambridge Training College Britain, a Professional Program in Tourism Facilities Management (PPTFMIS), and certifications in HACCP International Food Safety, Fire Safety, First Aid, and specialized Italian and Asian cuisine
