Muhammad Fikri bin Umadi is a dedicated culinary and hospitality lecturer at UCSI University Sarawak Campus, where he currently serves as the Head of Department for Hospitality & Culinary Arts under the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Passionate about shaping future industry leaders, he brings together strong academic credentials, professional experience, and progressive leadership to elevate teaching and learning experiences.

Fikri holds a Corporate Master in Business Administration (CMBA) from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and a first degree of Bachelor in Culinary Arts (Honours). He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (Business and Management), reflecting his commitment to academic excellence, research advancement, and lifelong learning.

He began his professional journey with internationally recognised hotel brands such as Sunway, Pullman, Le Meridien, and Sheraton, where he gained substantial experience in kitchen operations, banquet services, and purchasing. Through these roles, he developed strong expertise in food operations, procurement processes, and hospitality standards, which he now applies to enrich classroom learning and curriculum development.

Fikri’s research interests include gastronomy, heritage cuisine, and consumer behaviour. He has been actively involved in scholarly and industry engagements, including receiving the Best Paper Award at an international conference, completing consultancy projects, and leading academic initiatives. His excellence in teaching has been recognised with the Outstanding Educator Award, and his passion for culinary creativity earned him the Best Recipe Book Award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2025.

He actively contributes to the professional culinary community as the Treasurer of the Kuching Chefs Association. Fikri is also a professional member of APIEM and a member of the World Association of Master Chefs (WAMC), supporting industry development and professional networking.

As an international culinary competition medalist, he brings competitive excellence into his academic mentorship and has successfully guided students to top placements in regional, national, and international culinary competitions, strengthening UCSI University’s reputation for high-quality culinary education. His career reflects unwavering dedication to education, innovation, and the advancement of the hospitality and culinary arts landscape.