From classroom to kitchen: A student’s take on the benefits of WIL

This month we sat down with Le Cordon Bleu Sydney Grand Diplôme® student Ronaldo Branyaga Budiman and discussed his Work Integrated Learning placement at Sonoma Bakery in NSW. Here’s what he had to say about the benefits of putting theory into practice.

What made you choose Sonoma as a WIL placement provider?

I chose Sonoma mainly because it focuses on large-scale production of pastries and breads. I was very interested in learning more about the company’s ethos in regard to maintaining quality while providing large quantities of products.

What’s it like to be working in a real kitchen environment? Has it been an eye opener for you?

It really has been an eye opener for me, especially within the pastry world where you can be creative and produce products from ‘wastage’ like the scraps from croissant dough. They don’t just throw it away, but instead use the offcuts for things like pies, rolls and morning buns to reduce costs and maximise profits.

Have your skills developed even further since being on placement?

Absolutely! Since we were producing large quantities, I had to be very focused, careful and meticulous in managing the workflow and ensuring all the correct steps were taken to avoid any errors in the production process. In addition for this, I learned about managing the next few day’s products, for example preparing the compote and egg tart fillings ahead of time. This was necessary for maximising our time-efficiency.

How has the placement benefitted you, overall?

It benefitted me in a lot of ways, for example the trial and error that I learned from Le Cordon Bleu was put into a real-life scenario, along with decision-making in the workplace.

How have you found working with professional pastry chefs in industry?

The Sonoma team was great to work with. Everyone was friendly and helpful and whenever I was in doubt, they would show me what to do, step-by-step, to ensure I was able to flourish under their guidance.

Learn more about our Work Integrated Learning placement opportunities

Images: Sonoma Bakery Instagram