Guide: Top Culinary Schools in France — Top 10 in Paris – Le Cordon Bleu

Many travellers to France dream about taking a cooking class in Paris or elsewhere in France. The time is right to start researching and planning for your next trip, remembering that well-regarded courses of any type tend to fill well in advance… We’ve decided that after the 2020 emphasis on life-at-home, highlighting our cookery skills or lack thereof, this seems like a great idea, it is even possible to start now online, then follow up when next in Paris!

Guide: Top Culinary Schools in France Series … Watch out for more articles from MyFrenchLife™ – MaVieFrancaise® to guide you in your culinary challenges from updates and new skill workshops through to certificates, to graduate certificates, to diplomas, and onwards to Masters. And as I’ve been reminded by friends lately, that these culinary courses make fabulous gifts.

This article is the beginning of a series on what we believe to be the Top Ten of a selection of courses in Paris, in no particular order. So, Let’s go! We’re starting with Le Cordon Bleu.

Le Cordon Bleu – top 10 culinary schools in Paris

Perhaps the most famous and glorified culinary school in the world – Le Cordon Bleu – was founded in Paris 120 years ago, in 1895. For more than a century the Le Cordon Bleu symbol – the blue ribbon with its seal on it – has become a symbol of cooking as an art. The school has earned an impeccable reputation and has become the alma mater of the best chefs around the world. Training here is almost a guarantee of a successful future and employment: restaurants around the world are trying to get specialists trained in Le Cordon Bleu.

The founder of the school was the well-known journalist and culinary critic Martha Distel: she also simultaneously started publishing the magazine Cuisiniere Cordon Bleu, which published news about the restaurant industry, reviews of the best institutions, and selected recipes.

Today, Le Cordon Bleu comprises more than 50 educational institutions in 23 countries, 5 continents, and more than 20 000 students, under the guidance of the best specialists with vast practical experience.
Of course, the most important, large, illustrious, and legendary school is in Paris and online!

As a means of providing some insight into this famous institution, some time back, one of our team, together with some  Alliance Francaise Paris Ile de France (AFPIF) students attended a two-hour Le Cordon Bleu event. Here you can see what happened then.

Current course options in Paris & online — classes, workshops & more…

Le Cordon Bleu Paris offers a range of short-term culinary discoveries for those with a passion for the art of cooking: cooking classes, pastry classes, boulangerie workshops, and oenology lessons.

Make your selection:

• Making Your Own Bread (€190),
• Vegetarian (€140),
• Food & Wine Pairings (€195),
• Foie Gras Workshop (€195),
• The Art of Sauces (€195),
• Market Tour & Cooking (€220),
• Christmas Yule Logs (€95),
• Les Petits Cordon Bleu for 8-12 years (€90) … and more.     

Then, there are more intense short courses:

• Wine and Spirit intensive with test & Certificate – two weeks (55 hrs)-(€1 800),
• Nutrition and Health Gourmet Cuisine – 4 days (32 hrs)-(€2 100)

Most of these classes/workshops with a maximum of 15 people include English translations and gift vouchers are available. Workshops give students as much exposure as possible to the working environment of a professional kitchen, all necessary ingredients and equipment are provided, including aprons and tea towels.

• Of course, there is also a wide choice within both the Certificate and,
• the famous Diploma courses which you can peruse here.
• And online accredited courses too.
• Not forgetting that you can also study the French language as part of your culinary course with Le Cordon Bleu!

Contact Le Cordon Bleu:
3-15 Quai Andé Citroën, 75015, Paris
Tel: + 33 1 85 65 15 00

Have you ever studied at a great Culinary school in Paris: Le Cordon Bleu or any other famous cookery school in France? Please share your experiences with us below, we’d love to know what you studied and how you found it. Merci d’avance.