In an earlier post, I had written about how to win a scholarship to study at Le Cordon Bleu, like I did (thrice). This left me inundated with lots of emails from culinary aspirants wanting to know more.
In this post, I’m going to attempt to answer some questions that were unanswered. I’m going to tell you about life at culinary school, the cost of attending culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu Paris versus other schools, and a whole lot more. If you have any more questions, please add them into the comments section and I’ll get back to you quickly!
GENERAL QUESTIONS
I want to apply for a course at Le Cordon Bleu. What’s the process?
Signing up for a pastry or cuisine course at Le Cordon Bleu is very simple and quick. You log on to their website and follow the instructions they’ve set out for you. You have to fill out your profile and write a short essay. If you’re in doubt you can email the admissions department at the location you’re interested in and they will get back to you.
How can I apply for a scholarship?
All the details on applying for a scholarship are in my post on How To Go To Le Cordon Bleu on a Scholarship.
As things currently stand, The Culinary Trust does not give out culinary school scholarships anymore. You can find out more details about the study grants and internship opportunities they offer on their website.
The James Beard Foundation announces the available scholarships every year in April. The next set of scholarships will be announced on April 1st, 2015. You can follow their website for updates.
Additionally, The James Beard Foundation also has a Women in Culinary Leadership Grant that you can avail of.
How important is a letter of recommendation from someone within the culinary world?
I can’t say for sure because I am not on the selection committee. That said, for my applications, I had letters from chefs, mentors and colleagues from the industry. It certainly won’t hurt to get a relevant recommendation.
LE CORDON BLEU
I have zero experience and I am not sure if Le Cordon Bleu will accept me.
You do not need to have any prior culinary experience to be eligible to study at Le Cordon Bleu. This does not affect your chances of getting into culinary school or employment opportunities. Most people who come to Le Cordon Bleu have little or no experience.
Should I study the regular course or the Intensive course at Le Cordon Bleu? Can I cope with Intensive?
Each program, Cuisine and Patisserie is broken down into three terms: Basic, Intermediate and Superior. For each term, you will have 30 lessons in cuisine and 20 in pastry spread across the same amount of time. This is about 3 months in the regular cycle, and 5 weeks in the intensive cycle. Thus, managing the Intensive pastry program is a lot easier. I have written more about this here. In a regular cycle it is also possible to take on both patisserie and cuisine together to get a Grande Diplome by the end of the 9 months.
Should I do the entire diploma in one go or break it up? I am considering returning to my country in between levels.
Most people do it all in one go. When you do this, you get a better price (check school website for latest tuition fees). I staggered my terms because I received multiple scholarships for each term in different years.
Can you share some of your first-hand experiences at Le Cordon Bleu?
Sure, I have written all about it in my post on Life at Le Cordon Bleu Paris.
I know you have mentioned age is not a factor, but I am 32 what is the average age-range of students in a batch?
Age really isn’t a factor! The students in my class were aged 18-60. Most were 20-35.
Was it easy to make friends?
Making friends is entirely up to you. Everyone’s in a new place, and everyone wants to make friends. I’m quite an introvert when meeting new people, but over time I made some amazing friends from across the world.
What is the course schedule like?
At the start of each term (Basic, Intermediate and Superior) you will receive your class schedule. You will typically have classes 4 or 5 days a week. The entire batch of 50-odd students will sit through the demo class. Following each demo class, your batch will be broken down into smaller batches of 10 students each for practical classes. The first class starts at 8:30AM and the last class finishes around 9PM. In any given day you could have anywhere between 1 and 3 classes to attend – demo as well as practical. You will probably never have to be at school from 8AM-9PM – those are just the possibilities within which your class might be scheduled. The only slightly annoying part is when you have a class from 8:30-11:00 and then a break until 3:30PM. You will have a time off between terms so you can plan your holidays well in advance.
I am planning on doing only Basic Pâtisserie. Would this be enough for me to at least get an internship in my home country?
Yes, most certainly.
I have read about how crowded the kitchen facilities at Le Cordon Bleu Paris are, which is not the case at LCB London. Is this true?
That is correct. The Paris school has been around since it began in 1895. The London school opened its shiny new doors in 2012. Despite the size, the Paris school won me over because of the complete experience it provided.
Do they teach you the science of baking such as ratios and what is the purpose and logic of ingredients? Are you able to create your own recipes from scratch? From what I am reading it seems like a lot of demonstrations and replicating recipes but I didn’t read anything about theory.
The teaching at Le Cordon Bleu is very old school. They do have a few theory classes, but nothing intense. They don’t teach you the scientific aspect of baking. Creating your own baking recipes from scratch does not happen by the end of the course, but takes years of practice and learning. Cuisine is a bit different – in the final term you are given a list of ingredients and you have to employ the techniques learned and come up with your own recipes. These sessions are called Ateliers. Your final exam is also designed the same way.
Does LCB train you in the more commercial side of being a chef? Equipment, creating economically viable recipes and scalability?
No.
I also read that Le Cordon Bleu Paris assures a stage at a Michelin starred restaurant, where as the London school is not bound to get you one. However, will being an LCB London help me land up a stage at a good establishment in London on my own even though I am a non-European national?
In France, when you are on a student visa for the full 9-month course, you can apply for certain benefits like working part-time (though the erratic schedule may not permit) as well as a full-time 3 month internship, that can be extended to 6 months. You cannot do anything of this sort in London. So even if you do find an internship in London, you’ll have to do it unpaid and alongside your course, because your visa will not be extended beyond your course. If you study just a 3-month course at either school, you will not get a work permit to work part-time during or after the course.
I would like to do an internship to learn with a focus is to have my own Patisserie. Would a Diploma in Pastry in any of these schools (LCB/Ferrandi/Lenotre Ecole/Ritz) equip me to open a patisserie in Mumbai/elsewhere? Does one learn enough to be confident to have their own establishment?
You will have a solid understanding of the basics at school. This will be put into practice where you intern. There’s nothing better than interning in Paris because the chefs here are constantly creating, evolving and moving forward.
This article caused me a bit of concern. Since you are a recent batch, have any of these aspects improved, or are a matter of concern?
That article has been put together with much thought – I agree with a lot of it, but we never had any rotten vegetables, bad meat or fake chefs. Most of the demo classes are handled by 1-2 chefs through the level. The chefs in the practical class rotate amongst the batches, since there are only 10 students in a practical class. Here is another discussion to read through to get another perspective.
What is your opinion of the Le Cordon Bleu schools in Canada, Australia, Thailand, *insert country*?
I don’t know know much about schools other than LCB Paris and London. I do know that they have chefs from the Paris schools going overseas to setup new schools. That said, I doubt you will get the full experience at any LCB school but the one at Paris.
HOW EXPENSIVE IS A CULINARY EDUCATION?
I am currently saving to go to Le Cordon Bleu Paris! How much money does it cost to attend culinary school?
Aside from the tuition fees, the amount of money you need to budget for depends on your lifestyle. It’s Paris – so you can live well on a budget (baguette €1.2 + wedge of cheese €1.8 and there’s little else you need) or you can splurge in the many Michelin restaurants. Here’s the basic amount you’ll need to get by comfortably.
Rent: Depends on the kind of accommodation you’re after. It can be anywhere between €450-€1500/month including bills. You can expect to be on the lower end if you are willing to share, take up a chambre de bonne (6th floor walk-up, no larger than 12m2, shared toilet in the corridor) or living as a paying guest. If you’re on a student visa you must apply for CAF (check with the school for details). CAF is a benefit provided by the French government for students to apply for housing benefits. You can get upto €370 of your rent back.
Travel: A monthly Navigo pass to use the local Métro and buses costs €67.10.
Living: ~300- €400.
PARIS
I live in the USA and don’t speak any French. I have read that they translate classes at Le Cordon Bleu. I wanted to hear how you felt about this?
I had lots of American classmates at Le Cordon Bleu Paris who didn’t speak any French yet thoroughly enjoyed their course. During the demos, a translator will live translate whatever the chef is teaching. In the practical class, however, there is no translator, but most of the chefs speak a bit of English or you’ll have classmates around you to help.
Were there dorms you lived in or did you get separate housing?
There is no student accommodation. You have to search for your own housing in the city. The school has a list of accommodation options they can share with you. You can get in touch with them for the updated list.
What arrondissements should I look at when looking for an accommodation? Should I stick to the 15th? It seems like the rents are higher in the 14th and 15th.
Staying near the school is definitely recommended because the school schedule can be pretty nasty with 3 hour breaks in between classes. If you live further away, going home during the breaks may not be feasible. But there are plenty of things to do to while your time – like visit local markets, buy fancy salts at La Grande Epicerie or walk up the road to Pierre Hermé. In my time in France, I’ve lived in the 15th (boring but very French), 19th (bohemian),18th (picture postcard perfect), and even a beautiful village near Paris. Each neighbourhood has a charm of its own.
I have been going through the list of websites the school has sent me regarding housing, and they are all mostly agencies. I want to save as much as possible; paying the agent so many Euros seems like a huge waste. Is there an alternative?
That’s a tough one. Going through agencies is annoying because you have to pay them a month’s rent! The other options are to look at apartments via AirBNB and check if they’re willing to give it out to you long-term. This way you can meet them directly in Paris. Another option is to check Craigslist which does have a few genuine listings. BUUUUT please don’t make ANY payments without having a look at the apartment in person. Lots of them are scammers sitting in Nigeria. The other option is to have a look at pap.fr. Although be warned that there are thousands of other locals looking at the same website and the apartments are taken up in a snap. And finally, if you do have to go down the agency route, I hear Foncia offers better rates than most other agencies. Good luck!
I was planning to reach Paris 10 days before the course commences and hoping to find an accommodation. Is that enough time?
Maybe. It worked for a friend of mine. But then again it depends on how fussy (and lucky) you are. Every time I needed to look for a new place, I’d start my search 2 months prior to the move.
Could you suggest a few areas that would be good to stay and convenient to reach to school?
The Métro is really well connected so travelling to school from anywhere around Paris and even the outskirts isn’t a problem. But if you’d like to stay in a convenient spot, pick something that’s on the same Métro line (12) or in the neighbouring arrondissements.
Do you think staying at a hostel is a good option?
If you’re comfy with the idea of it, then why not? I wouldn’t want to stay in a hostel long-term.
What insurance am I supposed to get while I’m at Le Cordon Bleu Paris?
I had a SMEREP insurance. Check with your local Alliance Francaise for what insurance you might need.
I have relatives in London, so accommodation is sorted. Do you still suggest Paris?
I am a complete Francophile so my answer is going to be biased. Yes, choose Paris. There is no comparison. It’s the complete experience. I understand that it’s easier to live with family/relatives and that’s totally valid. But if you can help it, choose Paris. You will live with that experience all your life. Just to drive home my point, I’m going to quote Hemingway, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
A BIT MORE SPECIFIC
Is it better to go to culinary school sooner rather than later?
It really depends on your situation and I (nor anyone else) can generalise. If you feel like you’re ready, that you need it, then you are. But be sure you want to work in this industry. It is not all fun and games, and comes with extremely long hours and low pay. Working in a restaurant is more Hell’s Kitchen than Jamie Oliver.
How do you find your niche in the culinary world? Did it arise through your experiences or was it something you knew early on? I initially saw myself in the restaurant world, but have started to see that there are so many more options.
I am still exploring, still figuring it out. My path was a bit unconventional and I am grateful for the series of events that led me to pursue what I wanted. I knew I wanted to study at Le Cordon Bleu as a teenager but I had little exposure or knowledge of what to pursue thereafter other than being a chef. I think the major thing that ties it all together is this blog, my creative outlet. Be it the BBC Good Food Magazine job, the various publications like GQ, Condé Nast, CNN, the food photography assignments or my popular baking classes – everything has come along thanks to this little blog of mine.
I’m an Indian and have to choose between Oberoi’s STEP program and IHM. What is your opinion of the two?
I’m sorry, I don’t know anything about those courses. If any of the readers have any insights, please chime in! These may not compare favourably to Le Cordon Bleu, but if that’s your only option, go ahead.
What is your take on pursuing culinary education at LCB directly after just a 3-month stint at Hilton?
It’s always good to have work experience to be fully aware of what you’re going to immerse yourself into.
I am an engineer/lawyer/accountant but I’m really passionate about baking. I think I would like to take it up as a vocation but have no idea where to start. There is a 1 year full-time diploma course in Patisserie and Confectionery and costs 1 lakh rupees. Do you think this course would set me on the right path? Will I get a job then? If I get a job what will I start as?
A 1 year course should be sufficient to get a job, but I don’t know what the options in the market might be. You need to ask around at the school – meet current students, get in touch with alumni as well as ask the faculty about these details. Starting out at any place means that you start as a commis chef and then work your way up.
I have no idea whatsoever about the field except that I know I wouldn’t mind spending the rest of my life next to an oven baking and whipping and piping.
Love and passion are good, much needed and nothing can ever replace the need for passion in this hard line of work. However, passion can only take you that far. It’s perseverance, determination and grit that you are going to need to sustain in commercial kitchens. (But there are plenty of other options outside of commercial kitchens).