Journey in Le Cordon Bleu
Bonjour,
Le Cordon Bleu, pronounced (Leh Kordun B-luh) is an esteemed French institute founded in Paris in 1895 which primarily focuses on Culinary Arts, Gastronomy, Hospitality.
It introduces us to the Haute cuisine which includes use of exotic ingredients and the art of food presentation using various cooking techniques. The blue ribboned cross symbolises the pride of France and takes us back to the 16th century when King Henry III referred to it as culinary excellence.
With more than 120 years of culinary teachings in pastry, cuisine and hospitality, a graduate from LCB has a significant boost to their knowledge. It has its presence in 20 countries and 40 international schools. This allows an individual to be flexible with travelling to different countries even after studies using the LCB Alumni network. As this domination continues, it allows the best companies in the industry to recruit quality over quantity professionals.
(Matilda Smith - (SIT31016 Certificate III in Patisserie) Alumna)
A Student Life Down Under:
Remembering those days, there is no doubt I was extremely nervous on my first day starting in LCB. The most appealing was my shiny white uniform which boosts your confident. The magnificent kitchen designs and brand new equipments will indulge one in cooking.
As a student, it is crucial to understand and network with your batchmates so get comfortable during the kitchen practical’s. A commercial kitchen will always rely on human interaction and communication within a team.
The curriculum is designed in such a way that you level up your cooking skills and techniques with time. Over the 9 months to be a qualified chef you will undergo three stages of cooking.
Every campus will have a demonstration kitchen where certain dishes will be made and presented to students to understand before they prepare themselves.
This is a great learning space for interaction between the high qualified lecturers and students with curiosity. As a student you get access to online study materials, workshops, library and career boosting short courses in photography, writing and so on.
Course Overview:
As any lesson in life, you will start your way from the bottom of the tree i.e different types of cutting techniques, knife handling skills and learning professional terminologies. You then step into making classic sauces and recipes to get through with “Cuisine De Base” or Cert. 1.(Step 1).
Coming to Intermediate, you can expect practical’s to get more technical and digging deeper into French cuisine. This will require higher confidence levels and implementing related subjects to broaden the skillset. Cuisine De Intermediate, will have a guest speaker, usually an experienced chef from the industry on the day of final assessment.
So, by this time one will be able to handle their work stations, learn time management, acquire basic knife skills and remember this phrase, “Keep clean as you go”.
In the third stage, it's time to gear up for "Cuisine De Superior”, which will require one to be able to withstand pressure and manage workflow within a time period. The elite recipes which require knowledge, balance of flavors, professional techniques and skills to understand and implement a recipe in the chronological form.
The demonstrations get exciting and truly indulging for food enthusiasts at this time of the course. After successfully completing the semester, you will qualify for Certificate 3 in Cuisine, which will hold a valuable asset to begin working in the hospitality industry.
For ADHM (Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management) students, one can get placed for workplace integrated learning or short internship. This generally lasts for 6 months where students are required to meet various criteria while working in commercial kitchens. Again, let me inform you, LCB does not guarantee paid internships or recommendations. My advice, look for opportunities to work as a chef during your intermediate days and expand your skills in your resume. This will provide you with an option to switch as a full time chef at the same workplace during work integrated learning or internship stage.
ADHM deals with subjects related to gastronomy and focuses more on theoretical knowledge. It brushes your basics in finance, accounting, marketing, team leadership and personal development. It will give an overview of what is expected of you as an individual in the workplace and in industry. As we move up the kitchen brigade, we get tangled with higher duties and responsibilities. The pressure keeps building to perform when one gets promoted with time. This required clarity in thought process and knowledge to be most effective in the kitchen. ADHM will help you achieve just that, the amount of quality subjects it embeds is enormously useful in future stages of your career.
Future Career Approach and Goals-
In Australia, Hospitality and Tourism are the backbone of the economy. So, one can assure that the doors are always open for skilled chefs and hospitality workers. The conventional approach after completing your studies in culinary arts is working as a “Qualified Chef” in a reputed hotel chain or restaurant industry.
However, there is a modern approach which one might achieve with the same qualifications. They are listed down below-
Private Chef
Food Blogger or Recipe builder
Food Writer for Publications
Food Photography for Publications
Social media influencer
Creating cooking courses and masterclasses
Food Critic
With active engagement and professional networking, one can choose a career path in the professions mentioned above.
Given below is the link to culinary programmes:
Now, let me get the facts right!!
As interesting they may sound, there is no sure shot recipe to get there. One has to start from the roots, working as a chef and growing contacts. Most people follow other influencers or known professionals and blindly follow their path.
One needs intense research and related courses which will help to get to that position. All these professions may be related to culinary arts, but their requirements and job profiles are completely different.
For eg: To apply for food photography intern, one must have a photography course and a portfolio to showcase their skills as a photographer. A culinary arts degree then becomes a useful tool as you will be working in photoshoots related to food. As an individual, you will have to invest your time and money in courses related to the profession before you actually step into the real world. So, the more clarity of thought process, the easier it becomes to break down and invest your time for your future endeavours.
Stick to your basics which is culinary arts and then broaden your skills to various alternatives.
With time, you may build important connections in industry where you can showcase your interests and portfolio.
They must be generating adequate income before completely immersing your time personally and financially.
Le Cordon Bleu Alumni-
As a former/ current LCB student one gets to enrol in the alumni network. This portal binds former graduates under one roof. This will play a major role in job placements, networking with industry professionals and pitching your resume. It also excels in various platforms like free access to short courses, market trends and useful articles about upcoming food giants in your city. The alumni access also includes interviews and masterclasses from famous culinary chefs which makes it an ideal learning platform for food enthusiasts.
“A Word to Aspirants”
If one has a passion to cook and inspires being a chef, this course is for you. That's what most of the articles will tell you.
Honestly, the hospitality world is much tougher than it seems. It includes long hours, irregular day offs, sacrificing weekends and a journey which challenges emotionally, physically and mentally. Once you step in this industry, one will find hundreds of millennials walking back trying to change paths. The one with persistence will be the last one standing in this incredible odyssey of life.
Always remember to be patient and practise healthy habits to prepare yourself during work. Stay focused, know your strengths and work on your weaknesses and lastly, it's all about working with common sense.
FAQ’s:
What is the fees overview for a LCB course in Australia?
Answer: At present, ADHM will cost you whooping A$60,000 for 2 years 3 months. This includes uniform, knife kit and learning materials.
Does LCB provide job or internship placements after the course?
Answer: LCB does not guarantee any placements. They may provide assistance in getting internships and it may be unpaid. My classmate had to work in Marriott, BNE for 6 months as an unpaid trainee.
Is an LCB degree worth it?
Answer: Honestly, there is no straight answer to this question. It depends on your financial status and how passionate you really are to give your best in this profession. Personally, it is slightly overrated but the resources, study materials and teaching assistance it provides eliminates all the vague thoughts.
How to get into LCB?
Answer: LCB participates in educational fairs across the world. This networking event helps interested candidates to interact with the marketing team. Additionally, a trusted consultancy also has ties with LCB Australia. Students can enrol in January, April, July or September.
Does LCB provide accommodation for international students?
Answer: The campus does provide assistance to nearby student accommodation centres but the cost of expenses must be owned by the student. Personally, I have found these centres to be slightly expensive than other rental accommodation platforms.
How does life change after completion of the course?
Answer: Most importantly, one gains a skill set and basic understanding about hospitality. The actual life changes when you start working in industry as that is when you need to apply all the theory in the real world.
If you have reached this point, I would like to sincerely thank you for reading the article. Hope you find it really useful in your journey towards gastronomy.
I am R.S.Aditya from Hyderabad, India and Le Cordon Bleu Alumni (Batch BNE 2018-2022)
I have started writing quality articles about this industry. It’s been 5 years since I have adapted and cherished Australian culture and local culture. I work as a chef and have always been an admirer of gastronomy and restaurant operations.
References:
Le Cordon Bleu Brisbane Virtual Reality School Tour (2019) YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7SPMnFcuOc (Accessed: 02 August 2023).
Matilda Smith - Diplôme de Pâtisserie (SIT31016 Certificate III in Patisserie) Alumna (no date a) LCB Home, Le Cordon Bleu Australia, campus, programmes and courses. Available at: https://www.cordonbleu.edu/australia/home/en (Accessed: 02 August 2023).
