130 years of Le Cordon Bleu with Nathaniel Reid
Nathaniel Reid reflects on his experience on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the Le Cordon Bleu institute.
The final of the 57th ArsNova Culinary Prize (formerly "the Taittinger") took place at Le Cordon Bleu Paris institute on 4 February. The jury, presided over by three Michelin-starred chef Emmanuel Renaut, supported by chefs including Dominique Crenn, Amandine Chaignot and Christophe Bacquié.
Ever since its creation, in 1967, the aim of the ArsNova culinary prize has been to safeguard French gastronomic heritage by ensuring that expertise is passed on to the next generation of Chefs. Pierre Taittinger, founder of the Champagne brand to which he gave his name, launched the international gastronomy competition, which is judged by professionals, in order to perpetuate his vision of great French cuisine – one which is very much in line with the values of Le Cordon Bleu Paris institute.
The nine international finalists selected for this year’s competition were tasked with creating a starter and a main course based on duckling. They were assisted by students from the Internship Pathway programme to help them in the preparation of their dishes. Other students supported the jury president during his demonstration, where his culinary skills were showcased.
The Culinary Prize is a means of passing on traditional skills that conveys the spirit of today’s sparkling signature cuisine and reveals the talent of the great chefs of tomorrow.
Eric Briffard, Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Arts Le Cordon Bleu Paris
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