Le Cordon Bleu Paris welcomes the general managers of the Alliances françaises

On 19 July, 2016, the Alliance française Foundation organised a seminar for the 43 general managers of Alliances françaises around the globe, whose main aim was to implement a strategy for modernising the Alliances françaises, “Alliance 2020”.

Following the plenary meetings, Alliance française President, Mr. Jérôme Clément and the general managers of the Alliances françaises were invited to a cocktail party by Le Cordon Bleu International President, Mr. André Cointreau, which marked the end of the day at the new Le Cordon Bleu Paris institute premises.

Members of the Foundation Board of Directors, prestigious guests from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the press and the educational sphere were also invited to attend the cocktail party in the new building.

Whilst welcoming the guests into Le Cordon Bleu premises, M. Cointreau declared : 

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Le Cordon Bleu is the leading employer of French Chef Instructors in the world, dedicated to transmitting expertise and contributing to the development of French gastronomy and culture. With examples such as Eric Briffard (2 Michelin stars) and Philippe Groult, both Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, all Le Cordon Bleu Chefs are permanent to the teaching staff of the institutes and have worked in the industry in France and abroad. In this very technical, creative and artistic sector, passion and the will to pass on the knowledge are part of the DNA of these great chefs, to teach students the values and rigor necessary, as they themselves learnt during their apprenticeship.

Through education, we must defend with passion French culture and values, such as gender equality, freedom of thought and expression, as do worldwide both the Alliance Française and Le Cordon Bleu institutes.

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Sophie Mise Le Bouleis, Commissioner of the Fête de la Gastronomie, also gave a speech about the fête, a yearly event in which Le Cordon Bleu institutes around the globe participate without fail. As part of the 2016 Fête de la Gastronomie, Le Cordon Bleu Paris will host a round table with culinary experts on 23 September 2016. This event will launch a series of conferences linked to the world of gastronomy as part of the Hautes Études de la Gastronomie programme.

Mrs. Bigot, Grenoble University Press editor, and Mr. La Fay, member of the Club de La Table also attended to talk about their book À table! À la découverte du repas gastronomique in which the Alliance française was involved. Le Cordon Bleu also contributed to the book with recipes by Chef Éric Briffard.

Guests were also invited to watch a culinary demonstration by Le Cordon Bleu Paris Chef Instructors.

Le Cordon Bleu Paris Chefs, with the help of cuisine and pastry students, prepared the cocktail party and the service was carried out by Restaurant Management Diploma students.

• Radish with Bordier butter and a selection of breads
• Salma salmon gravlax, fennel, green apple, baby mustard leaves
• Hot foie gras, Szechuan pepper, white peach with lemon verbena
• Roast ham on the bone with summer truffle, Matignon with Madeira
• 24 month matured farmhouse Comté, Brie de Meaux, Saint-Maur Fabre
• Le Cordon Bleu macaroons and financiers

The Alliance française and Le Cordon Bleu have shared a common cultural and educational goal for many years, namely promoting France and its values throughout the world. Representing French culture, art, language and gastronomy worldwide, has become and will remain an ongoing dialogue between the two institutions.

Following a number of extremely successful International events organized by the Alliance française and Le Cordon Bleu, a partnership was signed in 1995. Mr André Cointreau is a member of the Alliance française Paris board of Directors and a founding member of the Alliance française Foundation. In 2003, he was also voted "Personality of the Year" by the United States Alliance française Federation.