Whether you’ve already secured a place at Le Cordon Bleu or are thinking about submitting your application, we understand that making the decision to return to study is a tough one.
We sometimes meet potential students who are anxious that perhaps they don’t have enough experience, or are too old / young to succeed at Le Cordon Bleu. If this sounds like you, let us ease your concerns right here, right now. There is no ‘typical’ Le Cordon Bleu student.
Our students come from all kinds of backgrounds, nationalities, previous work experience, age, gender etc. Not only does this make the school environment a welcoming one for all, it makes it a truly exciting place to meet new people, build your professional network and make life-long friends.
The Benefits of Becoming a Le Cordon Bleu Student
When you become a Le Cordon Bleu student, you join a network of some of the world’s best chefs and culinary professionals. With more than 35 institutes in 20 countries, students benefit from the wealth of culinary knowledge, which has been accumulated over the decades. With a philosophy of innovation and excellence, students are encouraged to marry creativity with tradition.
Considered the guardian of French cuisine, Le Cordon Bleu students learn the art of French cooking and and the culinary techniques, which have been the cornerstone of French gastronomy for over 500 years.
What Does a Le Cordon Bleu Student Look Like?
Le Cordon Bleu students will learn the skills they need to become the culinary arts professionals in the industry, regardless of their background.
The average age of students when they first join Le Cordon Bleu is 26, with the 23-28 age range being the most common. The second-most popular student age bracket is 18-22, however the school also has a large share of students aged 29 and above.
The average age of 26 reflects the fact that lots of students join Le Cordon Bleu after they’ve worked in elsewhere for a number of years, though not necessarily in the hospitality industry. These industries can include art and design, finance, law and medicine to name just a few!
Of course, lots of students were passionate cooks with little to no experience in a professional kitchen before joining Le Cordon Bleu. However, this lack of experience hasn’t held them back from achieving their dream of becoming a world-class chef.
At Le Cordon Bleu, there is no need to have previous culinary or professional experience to apply to most of our courses.
When it comes to nationality, we pride ourselves on being a multi-national school. Worldwide, Le Cordon Bleu trains chefs from more than 100 nationalities each year. Our strong tradition of multi-culturalism is reflected in our London school where students from all over the world study and work together.
Why Study at Le Cordon Bleu?
As a student of Le Cordon Bleu, you’ll train under the world’s best chefs in state-of-the-art facilities, with all of the support needed to achieve your goal. But why exactly did our students choose to study at Le Cordon Bleu London above other schools?
When questioned, the students said their desire to have a long-term career in the industry was why they chose to study at Le Cordon Bleu.
Aside from our excellent training, our network of schools and multi-national student population mean that students who wish to progress have greater opportunities for networking.
Most Le Cordon Bleu students aspire to set up their own business, while others aspire to work in a professional kitchen or simply cook and improve their skills for their own enjoyment. A Le Cordon Bleu qualification is the first step to achieving all of this.
Success Stories
After graduation how do our students fare? Our survey revealed that the majority of students found a job less than three months after leaving Le Cordon Bleu. After graduation 79% of alumni were working successfully in a position related to culinary arts and hospitality.
Alumna Peggy Porschen graduated from Le Cordon Bleu London with a Grand Diplôme and went on to open her cake-making and decorating business, Peggy Porschen Cakes, in 2003. Although pâtisserie was always her passion, Peggy felt she needed a background in cuisine before realising her dream of becoming a full-time patisserie chef.
“I managed to graduate top of the class, obtaining the best grade in the Superior Pâtisserie final exam. From there, I worked as a pastry chef at London's Lanesborough Hotel, followed by a position as cake decorator at Konditor & Cook on London’s South Bank. This experience allowed me to further perfect my cake decorating skills and develop personal style”.
Since opening her business Peggy has created cakes for Stella McCartney, Anthony Hopkins, Sting, and Madonna, in addition to her creations being sold in Fortnum & Mason – London’s most exclusive store.
Another Le Cordon Bleu success story is Gilad Peled. Originally from Israel, Gilad moved to London to pursue his dream of becoming a chef. While studying at Le Cordon Bleu, he secured a place at Le Gavroche, a famous fine-dining French restaurant in London’s Mayfair.
“Chef Yann Barraud, sent me to Michel Roux who accepted me at Le Gavroche, even though I was still attending classes five days a week. This was a real eye-opener, which also happened to come along at just the right time, as I could practice and learn classic cuisine at its best simultaneously.
“After graduating I wanted to work at the best restaurant in London and at the time it was, and still is, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. From the moment I stepped foot inside, I felt like I belonged”.
Today, Gilad is the Head Chef at the two Michelin-starred Le Pressoir d'Argent restaurant in Bordeaux, France – Gordon Ramsay’s first restaurant in the French city.
