Drawing on expertise across culinary arts, education, media, industry, and community leadership, the Board of Directors ensures the Society remains aligned with its mission to elevate live fire cooking as a disciplined craft. Its role is to uphold standards, guide long-term direction, and safeguard the integrity, independence, and credibility of the Middle East Live Fire Cooking Society as it grows across the region.
Frederic Casagrande
President
Fred Casagrande is the founder and President of the Middle East Live Fire Cooking Society. A Live Fire BBQ Champion and internationally recognized pitmaster, he has played a key role in developing and promoting live-fire cooking culture across the region through competitions, masterclasses, and large-scale festivals. Beyond the fire, Fred brings decades of leadership experience in strategy, program governance, and community building. His vision for the Society is to establish a credible, skill-driven, and respectful live-fire culture in the Middle East, rooted in discipline, knowledge-sharing, and long-term standards rather than trends.
Aadil Datta
Board Director
Aadil Datta is the Chief Executive Officer of Elite Horizon Trading and a key contributor to the growth of the professional BBQ and live-fire cooking ecosystem in the region. With extensive experience in sourcing, distribution, and brand development, he has played a strategic role in connecting international equipment, fuel, and food brands with the Middle East market. Through his involvement with the Middle East Live Fire Cooking Society, Aadil brings a strong commercial and operational perspective, supporting sustainable partnerships while ensuring the Society remains aligned with its craft-first, community-driven mission.
Andy Cuthbert
Board Director
Chef Andy Cuthbert is a pillar of the UAE’s culinary community and a long-standing leader within the Emirates Culinary Guild, where he has championed professional excellence, training, and competition standards across the region. With decades of experience managing major culinary events and guiding the development of young chefs, his influence has shaped the UAE’s hospitality landscape. In addition to his role within Worldchefs, where he contributes to global governance and culinary education, Chef Andy brings a grounded, region-first perspective to the Middle East Live Fire Cooking Society, helping us foster professionalism, discipline, and a thriving culture of live-fire craft.
Anthony Rahayel
Board Director
Anthony Rahayel is the Chief Executive Officer of NoGarlicNoOnions, one of the region’s most influential food media platforms, with a long-standing focus on authenticity, craftsmanship, and honest storytelling around food. Through years of documenting culinary cultures, chefs, and food experiences across the Middle East and beyond, he has built significant credibility as a trusted voice within the industry. Anthony brings a strong media and community perspective, helping shape the Middle East Live Fire Cooking Society’s narrative while ensuring its values, standards, and craft-first identity are communicated with integrity.
Sunjeh Raja
Board Director
Sunjeh Raja is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) and a leading figure in professional culinary education in the Middle East. Under his leadership, ICCA has become a benchmark institution for chef training, industry standards, and culinary innovation across the region. As a Board Director of the Middle East Live Fire Cooking Society, Sunjeh brings deep expertise in education, certification, and institutional governance, supporting the Society’s mission to embed live fire cooking within a framework of discipline, training, and long-term professional standards.
Jayson Young
Board Secretary
Jayson Young brings nearly two decades of experience in business development and market expansion across the FMCG and trading sectors. With a proven track-record in building partnerships and scaling operations in the UAE and beyond, he will serve as Secretary to the Board, ensuring seamless coordination of meetings, thorough documentation of decisions and minutes, and rigorous governance support. His commercial acumen and organizational discipline will help anchor the procedural backbone of the Society, giving our Board the structure and clarity needed to act decisively.
Peter Hudson Berger
Board Advisor for Safety
Peter Hudson Berger is a live-fire cooking specialist with formal ICCA training and extensive hands-on experience across major culinary festivals in the UAE, including Open Fire Food Festival and Taste of Abu Dhabi. Having led fire operations, pit management, and safety coordination for high-volume public events and masterclasses, Peter brings deep practical expertise in heat control, fire discipline, and risk-aware execution. As Board Advisor for Safety, he supports the Society in defining safe operating standards, best practices, and protocols that protect people, property, and the integrity of live-fire cooking as a serious craft.
Amit Paw
Board Advisor for Ethics
Amit Paw brings over 15 years of experience in governance consulting, business analysis and program management in the UAE and the broader region. In his role as Board Advisor for Ethics, Amit will help ensure that as our Society grows through competitions, partnerships, and community activity, we uphold the highest standards of integrity, fairness and transparency. His analytical mindset and governance-oriented background give the Board a steady moral compass, ensuring that decisions respect members, suppliers, and the broader live-fire cooking community.