Bakery Specialization Courses in France
Given that the consumption of pastry products has been steadily increasing, and since estimates show that it will keep growing, professional training is a requirement for success throughout the mature European market. With numerous specialization and certification opportunities available worldwide, our baking schools reviews start in France.
Giving due credit to the country with some of the world’s iconic ‘haute couture’ bakery and pastry products, our exploration of professional education opportunities begins in France, as French bakery and pastry schools the world over have a common goal: to support the growth in the number of qualified professionals in the food industry.
“A school born out of passion”
Based in the city of Adge, the Gastronomicom Institute is one of the newer arrivals among the French bakery specialization schools, an international culinary academy created in 2004 by gastronomy and French pastry professionals. “Programs here, at our InternationalCulinaryAcademy, will enable you to learn the arts of French cooking and pastry at a one Michelin star level,” reads the Institute’s presentation.
The pastry classes are tailored for professionals looking to improve their knowledge of French pastry to a one Michelin star level, as well as for those wanting to learn a new profession through intensive classes and internships at a luxury hotel-restaurant in France.
The institute has representatives in Brazil, China and Ecuador, agents in Australia, the Philippines and Malaysia, and a partnership established in Japan.
The art of French pastry
The Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie (ENSP) has developed its expertise in French pastry, bakery, chocolate and confectionery arts for the past 30 years at Château de Montbarnier, Yssingeaux, and aims to provide a complete professional education. The ENSP offers both long and short programs, adapted for learning the fundamentals of pastry arts or perfecting certain techniques, all of which emphasize practical hands-on experience.
The spirit of the grand chefs
The Ecole Internationale de Pâtisserie Olivier Bajard is situated in Roussillon, Perpignan, and opens its doors to both amateur chefs and pastry professionals. The courses available here allow for specialization in French pastry, ‘à la minute’ desserts, chocolate, confectionery, ice cream, sugar art and decoration, catering, bakery and Viennese pastry.
The school recommends innovative courses called ‘L’Esprit des Grands Chefs’, intended to offer a better understanding of the “profession and personality of contemporary French and foreign grand chefs,” according to the 2014 course program, through focused courses ranging from two to four days.
Bring your pastry jacket
This is one of the few requirements to join professional courses at the gastronomy school Bellouet Conseil, located in the very center of Paris. The school has been providing training courses for 23 years. “These are very intensive, hands-on courses with a small group, which allow professionals to retrain their skills,” according to the course presentation. Specializations follow end-product categories and include desserts and Christmas cakes, small individual cakes, chocolate sweets and artistic showpieces, ice cream and sorbets, viennoiseries and tea cakes, artistic sugar showpieces, French breads and delicacies.
Read the whole article, reviewing bakery and pastry schools in France, in European Baker, September/October issue.