I have been back home for a few days, school finished 2
weeks ago,and I have had a little time to digest my experience at LCB. I have been asked many of the same questions since my return...What was it like? What did you learn? Would you do it again? Will you continue with the Intermediate course? What is next? How was Paris? I want to try to answer these questions with this Le Cordon Bleu Paris Review, not only for my friends, but for anyone who has stumbled across my site in hopes of finding guidance with their decision of attending LCB. I know that when I was making my decision to enroll, I was hungry for any tidbits of information I could sift through the net. So, here it goes...
For those who followed my blog and kept up with my daily shenanigans, I hope you found my writing to be informative, amusing, and positive. I intentionally viewed my time at LCB through "rose colored" glasses despite the many things I
found worthy of complaint with the school and the French
way of doing things. I chose this perspective simply because, like all things in life, our point of view shapes our experiences. I was determined to have a healthy experience, so I chose to suppress the negative and pronounce the positive. I wrote several drafts of this entry and each time it sounded extremely negative when I tried to objectively list the good and bad attributes of the school. I now realize that viewing things from purely an analytical and rigid point of view was the cause of the problem. From a perspective of efficiency and logic, there are some fundamental flaws with the way things are done at the school. This experience is more fully realized if one truly embraces and immerses in the French culture rather than dwelling on its deficiencies. If you just "roll with the punches" and adopt the French attitude toward life, I guarantee a rewarding educational and fun
experience.
The School:
Facilities: The school is small, outdated, and cramped. I think they have done well with what they have, but improvements would be nice. I took the intensive version which had less students than a typical course, thus making life a little easier. The men's locker room is tiny! They really need to expand this space if at all possible.
Grades: Grading is VERY subjective. Only 14.5% of the total
grade is based on quantitative means, and the rest is
determined by your chef's opinion of your work. I would just take on an attitude of doing my best for myself and not for the grade. The Chefs tend to be human and have favorites, and they love cute women. Just enjoy the course and forget about the grade.
Intensive vs. Regular: As I mentioned above, one advantage of the Intensive is that less students enroll in the Intensive, so there is more space in the kitchens, demo rooms, lockers, etc...Also, it's efficient use of time with the high cost of living in Paris. Intensive course is 5 weeks versus 10 weeks for the
normal course. With less people in Intensive, you will receive more individual face time with the chefs. I think Intensive is the way to go.
Administration: This is an area that needs attention. I would like to see a change in how things are processed during admissions to avoid feeling like the school only wanted my money. The school's correspondence during admissions was
pretty decent right up until they received my money. After
that, the Admission Department became a black hole. It took numerous emails and calls for me to get a proper response on several issues. Additionally they lost my admissions packet and i had to resend everything a second time. LCB, Please improve your administration. It would make such a difference.
Tuition: Cost of the school tuition is expensive. The current Dollar/Euro conversion also added to the cost of roughly $12,000. I really do not know how that stacks against other schools. The tuition for the Basic course also includes a Knife/tools kit, kitchen scales, 3 Chef uniform tops, 2 pants, 3 aprons, 3 towels, 2 neck ties, 2 hats, and a class dinner. I came up with a rough estimate of $61/hour as a breakdown for my tuition.
Chefs: I found the Chefs to be excellent teachers with a
huge passion for the subject. They were very patient given that they have to deal with all levels of maturity and experience and were always willing to take the time to teach a finer point when asked. Most were fun loving and jovial. A couple of them had an abrasive "exterior", but behind the facade they were all passionate and caring. I think this is an area were it takes a little time to understand the French pride and their way of doing things.
Quality of Education: I have no basis of comparison with other schools, but I found the course to be comprehensive. This is not a sip wine while you cook course. It is a course in basic classic French culinary techniques. It is easy to become frustrated with some of the unusual or quirky techniques if one does not keep in mind the goal of this course. The intensive version is a rapidly paced journey through stocks, sauces, forced meats, doughs, fish, meats and poultry. I felt that I received a nicely rounded foundation on the classic French way of cooking. Additionally, knife skills, and task/work space organization are hammered by repetition until they are second nature. I am amazed at how much I learned in only 5 weeks.
Theft: I had been warned about theft at the school, and we were all encouraged to mark our knives and tools. Unfortunately, one student in my class had his entire kit stolen early on when he forgot to lock his locker. Just watch your stuff, and always have a trusted friend watch your things when you have to step away.
Scheduling: The schedule was packed and did not follow any particular rhythm. I think this is due to the space constraints of the school. It could be improved with some effort, but once again, it's easier to just go with the flow versus fighting and complaining about it. The course consists of 30 Demos and 30 Practicals (the last practical is the final exam), and one written exam. Each Demo and practical is 3 hours.
Language: My French language skills are basic at best. I had no problems with comprehension. The demos are all translated. The practical sessions are not translated, but all the Chefs have some English language skills. Between their English, hand gestures, and other student's help they are able to convey their instruction to you. You do not need French proficiency to enjoy this course.
My Goals:
What did I learn: I learned the basic techniques of French cooking. I was really interested in learning more about sauces and I fulfilled that desire. Almost every dish had some associated sauce. Additionally, I improved my knife skills, learned many tricks and methods of doing tasks in the kitchen, and improved my organizational skills. It's now up to me to explore further by practicing and adding to my skills.
Would I do it again: YES! I loved my time in Paris, the school and my classmates. My age and position in life may have colored my experience more than what a kid fresh out of college might experience. It was a gift for me to step out of my normal career and life and become a "kid" again with no worries other than learning more about something I am passionate about.
How was Paris: Beyond the usual comments of being an expensive city, it was an experience of a life time to live in Paris for 2 months. I learned and experienced things that I would never have seen as a tourist. The French zest for life and passion for food will have a profound effect on how I will view my own life. I did not find the Parisians to be rude. It does take time to understand their culture and how things are done. I found the Parisians to be extremely proud of their heritage and willing to share it with anyone if you are willing to show some humility and an interest. I will miss my daily visits to the Boulangerie, and the street food markets.
Will I continue on with Intermediate: I am not sure. Obviously, time and money are a factor. Also, since I am not pursuing a career as a Chef, I have to weigh the cost against benefit. The next Intensive Intermediate is in November 2010, so I have time to think about it. I would say that if money was not a factor, I would go on and complete the entire course for the Diplome de Cuisine and do an internship in Paris.
What is next: I am considering doing an internship at a local restaurant in Napa/Sonoma only to see the professional industrial side of cooking. I realize that working in a professional kitchen is a very physically and time demanding job and not sure if it's for me. However, my mind is open to any opportunities. I feel that I can only gain from an internship.
Wrap up:
I have to say that the most fulfilling aspect of my experience at LCB were the people. All experiences are shaped by the people involved, and this was no different. I had the privilege to meet and become friends with people of all ages and cultures driven with the common passion for food. The rapidly paced program away from home brought the group together from being complete strangers to becoming a tightly knit group in a matter of days. Without my classmates this experience would have been so much less rewarding.
Resources:
For anyone who may have further questions please do not hesitate to post a comment/question on this blog. Additionally, I would like to provide a few other resources for information about LCB.
My friend Sjoerd who attended Basic Cuisine in 2008, and completed Intermediate Cuisine in 2009, kept blogs of both courses. Additionally, Sjoerd will attend the Superior Cuisine in March 2010 and has vowed to continue blogging.
Sjoerd's Links:
Basic Cusinine 2008 cooking with cooking with Sjoerd @ Le Cordon Bleu Paris 2008
Inermediate Cuisine 2009 Sjoerd's adventures @ Le Cordon Bleu Intermediate Cuisine Paris 2009
Superior Cuisine 2010 Sjoerd at Le Cordon Bleu Paris - superior cuisine 2010
Also, Christine who completed the Diplome de Cuisine in 2006 has a blog with a section on FAQ's and a detailed summation of her experience at LCB
Chez Christine The Kitchen: Chez Christine Blogs Le Cordon Bleu | Apartment Therapy
Finally, a great link to a piece written by David Lebovitz for those debating the merits of going to Culinary School Should You Go To Culinary School? - David Lebovitz
For those who followed my blog and kept up with my daily shenanigans, I hope you found my writing to be informative, amusing, and positive. I intentionally viewed my time at LCB through "rose colored" glasses despite the many things I
found worthy of complaint with the school and the French
way of doing things. I chose this perspective simply because, like all things in life, our point of view shapes our experiences. I was determined to have a healthy experience, so I chose to suppress the negative and pronounce the positive. I wrote several drafts of this entry and each time it sounded extremely negative when I tried to objectively list the good and bad attributes of the school. I now realize that viewing things from purely an analytical and rigid point of view was the cause of the problem. From a perspective of efficiency and logic, there are some fundamental flaws with the way things are done at the school. This experience is more fully realized if one truly embraces and immerses in the French culture rather than dwelling on its deficiencies. If you just "roll with the punches" and adopt the French attitude toward life, I guarantee a rewarding educational and fun
experience.
The School:
Facilities: The school is small, outdated, and cramped. I think they have done well with what they have, but improvements would be nice. I took the intensive version which had less students than a typical course, thus making life a little easier. The men's locker room is tiny! They really need to expand this space if at all possible.
Grades: Grading is VERY subjective. Only 14.5% of the total
grade is based on quantitative means, and the rest is
determined by your chef's opinion of your work. I would just take on an attitude of doing my best for myself and not for the grade. The Chefs tend to be human and have favorites, and they love cute women. Just enjoy the course and forget about the grade.
Intensive vs. Regular: As I mentioned above, one advantage of the Intensive is that less students enroll in the Intensive, so there is more space in the kitchens, demo rooms, lockers, etc...Also, it's efficient use of time with the high cost of living in Paris. Intensive course is 5 weeks versus 10 weeks for the
normal course. With less people in Intensive, you will receive more individual face time with the chefs. I think Intensive is the way to go.
Administration: This is an area that needs attention. I would like to see a change in how things are processed during admissions to avoid feeling like the school only wanted my money. The school's correspondence during admissions was
pretty decent right up until they received my money. After
Tuition: Cost of the school tuition is expensive. The current Dollar/Euro conversion also added to the cost of roughly $12,000. I really do not know how that stacks against other schools. The tuition for the Basic course also includes a Knife/tools kit, kitchen scales, 3 Chef uniform tops, 2 pants, 3 aprons, 3 towels, 2 neck ties, 2 hats, and a class dinner. I came up with a rough estimate of $61/hour as a breakdown for my tuition.
Chefs: I found the Chefs to be excellent teachers with a
Quality of Education: I have no basis of comparison with other schools, but I found the course to be comprehensive. This is not a sip wine while you cook course. It is a course in basic classic French culinary techniques. It is easy to become frustrated with some of the unusual or quirky techniques if one does not keep in mind the goal of this course. The intensive version is a rapidly paced journey through stocks, sauces, forced meats, doughs, fish, meats and poultry. I felt that I received a nicely rounded foundation on the classic French way of cooking. Additionally, knife skills, and task/work space organization are hammered by repetition until they are second nature. I am amazed at how much I learned in only 5 weeks.
Theft: I had been warned about theft at the school, and we were all encouraged to mark our knives and tools. Unfortunately, one student in my class had his entire kit stolen early on when he forgot to lock his locker. Just watch your stuff, and always have a trusted friend watch your things when you have to step away.
Scheduling: The schedule was packed and did not follow any particular rhythm. I think this is due to the space constraints of the school. It could be improved with some effort, but once again, it's easier to just go with the flow versus fighting and complaining about it. The course consists of 30 Demos and 30 Practicals (the last practical is the final exam), and one written exam. Each Demo and practical is 3 hours.
Language: My French language skills are basic at best. I had no problems with comprehension. The demos are all translated. The practical sessions are not translated, but all the Chefs have some English language skills. Between their English, hand gestures, and other student's help they are able to convey their instruction to you. You do not need French proficiency to enjoy this course.
My Goals:
What did I learn: I learned the basic techniques of French cooking. I was really interested in learning more about sauces and I fulfilled that desire. Almost every dish had some associated sauce. Additionally, I improved my knife skills, learned many tricks and methods of doing tasks in the kitchen, and improved my organizational skills. It's now up to me to explore further by practicing and adding to my skills.
Would I do it again: YES! I loved my time in Paris, the school and my classmates. My age and position in life may have colored my experience more than what a kid fresh out of college might experience. It was a gift for me to step out of my normal career and life and become a "kid" again with no worries other than learning more about something I am passionate about.
How was Paris: Beyond the usual comments of being an expensive city, it was an experience of a life time to live in Paris for 2 months. I learned and experienced things that I would never have seen as a tourist. The French zest for life and passion for food will have a profound effect on how I will view my own life. I did not find the Parisians to be rude. It does take time to understand their culture and how things are done. I found the Parisians to be extremely proud of their heritage and willing to share it with anyone if you are willing to show some humility and an interest. I will miss my daily visits to the Boulangerie, and the street food markets.
Will I continue on with Intermediate: I am not sure. Obviously, time and money are a factor. Also, since I am not pursuing a career as a Chef, I have to weigh the cost against benefit. The next Intensive Intermediate is in November 2010, so I have time to think about it. I would say that if money was not a factor, I would go on and complete the entire course for the Diplome de Cuisine and do an internship in Paris.
What is next: I am considering doing an internship at a local restaurant in Napa/Sonoma only to see the professional industrial side of cooking. I realize that working in a professional kitchen is a very physically and time demanding job and not sure if it's for me. However, my mind is open to any opportunities. I feel that I can only gain from an internship.
Wrap up:
I have to say that the most fulfilling aspect of my experience at LCB were the people. All experiences are shaped by the people involved, and this was no different. I had the privilege to meet and become friends with people of all ages and cultures driven with the common passion for food. The rapidly paced program away from home brought the group together from being complete strangers to becoming a tightly knit group in a matter of days. Without my classmates this experience would have been so much less rewarding.
Resources:
For anyone who may have further questions please do not hesitate to post a comment/question on this blog. Additionally, I would like to provide a few other resources for information about LCB.
My friend Sjoerd who attended Basic Cuisine in 2008, and completed Intermediate Cuisine in 2009, kept blogs of both courses. Additionally, Sjoerd will attend the Superior Cuisine in March 2010 and has vowed to continue blogging.
Sjoerd's Links:
Basic Cusinine 2008 cooking with cooking with Sjoerd @ Le Cordon Bleu Paris 2008
Inermediate Cuisine 2009 Sjoerd's adventures @ Le Cordon Bleu Intermediate Cuisine Paris 2009
Superior Cuisine 2010 Sjoerd at Le Cordon Bleu Paris - superior cuisine 2010
Also, Christine who completed the Diplome de Cuisine in 2006 has a blog with a section on FAQ's and a detailed summation of her experience at LCB
Chez Christine The Kitchen: Chez Christine Blogs Le Cordon Bleu | Apartment Therapy
Finally, a great link to a piece written by David Lebovitz for those debating the merits of going to Culinary School Should You Go To Culinary School? - David Lebovitz
