Culinary arts school Le Cordon Bleu comes to Melbourne

CULINARY arts giant Le Cordon Bleu is opening a campus in Melbourne and charges equal fees for domestic and international students. Emily Umstad has more.

With more than 50 schools worldwide and a 20,000 strong student population, it was just a matter of time before prestigious culinary school Le Cordon Bleu opens its doors in Australia’s culinary capital, Melbourne.

Founded in Paris in 1895, Le Cordon Bleu is known as one of the world’s premier culinary schools, offering excellence in training for patisserie chefs, and French cuisine.

Although the training establishment has established campuses in Adelaide and Sydney, a Melbourne campus was a natural move, according to Le Cordon Bleu’s Director for Marketing and Communications, Bebe Adams.

“Melbourne is arguably the culinary capital of Australia, so we have high hopes of having an even spread of domestic and international students that come to Melbourne to study food,” she said.

Local and international students will pay the same fees which Le Cordon Bleu feels will rival some of the existing culinary institutions that have a difference in fees for domestic and non-domestic students.

Offering students “a passport to the world”, the school will be based out of Holmesglen’s Morrabin campus. From July 2015, four courses will be offered to students – courses the institution believes will prepare students to be “industry ready”:

• Diplôme de Cuisine (Certificate III in Commercial Cookery): A course for beginners
• Diplôme de Pâtisserie (Certificate III in Patisserie): A desert and pastry course
• Diplôme Avancé de Gestion Culinaire (Advanced Diploma of Hospitality): A culinary and hospitality management course
• Grand Diplôme (The Classic Cycle Program):  Runs for 24 months, includes elements from all courses including an industry placement.

For more information on the new campus and courses, visit their website.