Alumni Video Series: Meet Sumayya Limbada

This month we get to know Le Cordon Bleu Brisbane alumna, Sumayya Limbada, who graduated in 2022 with a Certificate III in Patisserie. Now, as an accomplished chef de pâtissier at Rise Bakery in Queensland, she shares her journey, first-hand, on what studying with Le Cordon Bleu has done for her.

Words: Sumayya Limbada

People often ask me why I chose this career so late in life, why I went back to being a student and starting all over. I never thought of it this way, I just began my journey at a time that was right for me.

It’s truly a journey that started as a child. The sweet, warm smell of cake and biscuits baking in the oven evoked happiness within me. I grew up surrounded by good food, in a kitchen where everything was baked from scratch. I clearly remember the joyous feeling of pulling chocolate cakes out of the oven and at 19 I worked my way through the pages of my first recipe book, How to be a Domestic Goddess.

So, it was a natural progression for me to pursue a career as a chef de patisserie. The next step was finding a school. There were many factors I had to consider when deciding where I would study. But when I walked through those pastry doors into the marble benchtop kitchen at Le Cordon Bleu Brisbane, I knew this place was meant for me. From the beginning I was welcomed into the world of Le Cordon Bleu. From everyone in admin to all the chefs and teaching staff – they all played a role to get me here today.

Thinking back to when I was handed my Term 1 Basic recipe book, I spent some time looking over the recipes and feeling elated at the idea of knowing what was to come. There was a familiarity which gave me reassurance, but among those pages was a language I hadn’t heard of – words that were new to me. This excited me; this is what I wanted; this is why I chose to study a Le Cordon Bleu. The realisation dawned on me that this isn’t another recipe book, another baking course. I am going to be a chef, a pastry chef and graduate from a very esteemed school.

Le Cordon Bleu sets the standard. I was surrounded by chefs, teachers and students who are passionate about their craft. It was exhilarating.

That is why I loved being a student at Le Cordon Bleu. I loved every aspect of learning about my craft and dedicating myself to it. I was consumed by it, all the knowledge, the skills, striving for perfection. I knew it was where I belonged.

Le Cordon Bleu sets the standard. I was surrounded by chefs, teachers and students who are passionate about their craft. It was exhilarating. Every night after class, I pressed my uniform for the next day, taking pride in wearing the recognisable embroidered emblem. When I am asked where I completed my studies, I am proud to say Le Cordon Bleu, because it comes with integrity.

I clearly remember the day we sat our final exam. It was a mix of emotions. I was elated, proud of my work. This was my reward for the time and effort I had put in from day one. I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the pressure released from within me. I celebrated the moment with my classmates, as we had bonded during our time together, but I was also washed with a sense of sadness knowing my time here had come to an end. I knew I was ready to move forward and I was excited at the prospect of using my knowledge and skills in the industry. However, I was not ready to say goodbye to a place I felt so welcomed into, so alive within its walls. My time as a student has come to an end, but I will always feel connected to Le Cordon Bleu.

Le Cordon Bleu led to my placement at the Sofitel hotel Brisbane. This was a new journey producing exquisite desserts daily for the Chou Chou café , creating boutique custom desserts for high profile guests and plating functions for weddings, birthdays and co-prorate events. Working efficiently and consistently was an important skill I learnt.

After graduation, an incredible opportunity came my way and I could not resist. It felt like everything I was working towards was finally in front of me. I was thrust into the world of viennoiserie at Rise Bakery, where I am the chef de patisserie, working under the talented head chef Adrien Marcinowski. I spend my day attached to the laminator. It’s the most challenging skill in patisserie, but my training at Le Cordon Bleu has helped prepare me for it. There are days when things don’t go to plan but other mornings when I walk into the kitchen at 5am and I’m greeted by beautiful racks of laminated croissants. I have learnt that its possible to create a perfect croissant with all those buttery flaky layers, but the challenge is to be consistent.

Vince Lombardi once said that “perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” With this in mind, I continue to strive for perfection in my craft. It is what has pushed me to achieve more than I thought possible. Because along the way it taught me this: Perfection is impossible, but it drives me, it pushes my boundaries, it ignites my passion, I learn with each failure and I am rewarded with every achievement.

With this mindset, my plan is to learn as much as I can in this industry with the goal of one day opening the doors to my own patisserie.

Explore Le Cordon Bleu Brisbane’s Pâtisserie programs