Culinary Schools
15 Best Culinary Schools in France | Cost, Requirements, How to Apply
The Culinary Schools in France focus on teaching the art and science of cooking and food preparation.
While there are many Culinary schools in France, there are also many incredible restaurants in France as well.
Thus, for international or home students who take the risk of enrolling in Culinary schools in France, these institutions have a lot to offer students to learn and practical experience in the real world.
This article will seek to outline and dissect the Culinary Schools in France as well as their costs, requirements and how to apply to these Culinary Schools.
Are there Culinary Schools in France?
Affirmative, there are many Culinary Schools in France. This is no news as France is widely renowned for its impeccable cuisine and amazing restaurants.
The Culinary Schools in France are listed below;
- Le Cordon Bleu
- Les Coulisses du Chef
- L’Atelier des Sens
- La Cuisine Paris
- La source Food School
- Ritz-Escoffier Cookery School
- École Lenôtre
- Le Gargantua cooking School
- Ferrandi Paris
- École de Cuisine Alain Ducasse
- Paul Bocuse Institute
- Lefoodist
- Cook’n With Class Paris
- Amis & Fines Herbes
- Atelier Gourmand De Lyon
How Much Does Culinary Schools Cost in France?
It costs anything from $20,000 to $70,000 to attend Le Cordon Bleu College in France.
Ecole Ducasse Paris Campus in France costs €17,034 / 20,367 in year 1, €14,993 / 18,327 in the second year and €15,423 / 18,756 in the third year.
Amis and Fines Herbes Culinary School cost between €44- €80 yearly.
Also, Atelier Gourmand De Lyon Culinary School costs €40 per student for most of their Culinary courses.
What are the Requirements for Culinary Schools in France?
Most Culinary Schools in France compulsorily require a minimum of a High school diploma for admission
While other Culinary Schools may request an application fee, SAT/ACT scores or French language proficiency.
What are the Best Culinary Schools in France?
The Culinary Schools in France are outlined in detail below;
1. Le Cordon Bleu
This is one of the Best Culinary Schools in France.
On a daily basis, the instructors impart their wisdom and experience to the students, enabling them to better comprehend the value of tenacity and dynamism in achieving success.
Also, by creating programs, Le Cordon Bleu has responded to the rising need for specialized professional training.
Le Cordon Bleu’s short courses cover a wide range of topics, including baking, pastry making, wine, and cookery. Either lectures or practical workshops make up training.
Lastly, depending on the certification, this training can take anywhere from 7 months to 2 years to complete; the average length is 2 years.
2. Les Coulisses du Chef
This French cooking school provides individualized instruction that is tailored to each student’s needs in order to help them achieve their career goals.
Companies have two options for reaching this school: either by having them go to their site or by using their Paris-exchange workshop.
Also, their team of experts makes use of their resources, expertise, and knowledge to help students achieve their objectives.
Finally, the school supports and provides its students with highly acknowledged intervention experienced professionals for training.
This is why it is one of the best Culinary Schools in France.
3. L’Atelier des Sens
The purpose of this Culinary school is to create a venue where knowledgeable chefs may share their wisdom in a way that is open to the general public.
As a pioneer in the gourmet frenzy, Atelier des Sens is today a go-to place for the most recent trends in food.
The school, its administrators, and its students have all changed together during the past 16 years.
Also, this team has access to more than a hundred different skills, allowing them to show their audience a variety of culinary techniques.
Additionally, the school’s curriculum includes conventional culinary seminars, team-building exercises, one-on-one lessons in restaurants, and modular professional training that is tailored to the needs of the contemporary market.
This is a good reason why it is one of the top Culinary Schools in France.
4. La Cuisine
One of the best Culinary schools in France is La Cuisine Paris. La Cuisine à Paris, a French cooking school offers cooking instruction in English which highly benefits international students.
In addition to the Paris and Versailles Food Tours, students also take technical skill classes, and a French cheese workshop, and train how to create croissants, macarons, and other traditional French pastries.
The school employs a limited number of foreign nationals, but they all share the same core values in their desire to impart their “savoir-faire” and passion to the clientele.
There are many different methods to attend cooking classes in Paris, but they all have one thing in common: they are designed to be enjoyable for students.
5. La Source Food School
The mission of the culinary institute La Source is to instruct and motivate the upcoming generation of caterers.
Students have the option of choosing between real internships and online learning, depending on the development stage of their cooking project.
The school is also reevaluating their teaching strategies by switching to a sustainable, environmentally friendly diet.
Therefore, La Source food school seeks to equip caterers not just with the skills necessary for running a kitchen on a daily basis, but also with the knowledge necessary to engage in discussions about the larger socio-economic and environmental contexts in which they operate.
This is a good reason why it is one of the best Culinary Schools in France.
6. Ritz-Escoffier Cookery School
One of the best culinary schools in France is located in the kitchens of the Ritz Escoffier.
The institution is unique in that it instructs aspiring professionals, amateurs, seasoned chefs, and budding young cooks in the art of French cuisine.
Also, All of their instruction is given in French, and at the conclusion of each course, it is translated into English and their tasting classes may accommodate up to 40 participants at once.
In addition, the site’s recipes and educational content are both offered in English and Spanish.
Furthermore, with a commitment to education and learning, chefs with distinguished backgrounds teach certification courses and private classes in either French or English.
Finally, the Ritz Escoffier is a premier culinary institution that represents French expertise on a global scale.
7. École Lenôtre
Ecole Lenotre is one of the top Culinary Schools in France.
Due to its strategic location in France, this place is excellent for high-quality education.
Lenôtre School offers its students and partners state-of-the-art training in order to nurture, encourage, and perpetuate performance.
Also, everyone over the age of 18 is welcome to enrol in the Lenôtre School of Culinary Arts’ pastry diploma program, regardless of whether they plan to change careers or not.
Moreover, the school is committed to educating students in the foundational knowledge and essential skills they need to excel as a specialist.
Finally, students also get the chance to observe how the business is run up close and personal at Maison Lenôtre, where business is conducted in a strict, professional manner.
8. Le Gargantua cooking School
One of the top Culinary Schools in France is Le Gargantua.
Prospective students can join Le Gargantua Cooking School if interested in learning how to prepare French food and pastries.
The school will also provide you with all the equipment and knowledge you need to prepare delectable meals at home, and they offer workshops for people of all skill levels.
In their cooking classes, they also instruct pupils on how to prepare bread, pâtés, mousses, quiches, stews, and sauces.
Furthermore, learn how to make macarons, and rustic French bread, or create mouthwatering sauces for your meals.
9. Ferrandi Paris
The best of the best students are taught at Ferrandi Paris, a culinary and hospitality school, to become leaders in France and around the world.
Ferrandi Paris is a school where students learn about a variety of topics, including business and administration as well as the culinary arts.
It also brings together some of the most well-known people in the field to talk about themes like culinary innovation and the rebirth of the hospitality sector.
Every year, students from all over the world swarm to this school.
It is worth noting that Ferrandi Paris is a pioneer in the French hospitality industry and a participant in the Conference of Excellence in Tourism, and the Interdepartmental Council of Tourism.
This is a good reason why it is one of the best Culinary Schools in France
10. École de Cuisine Alain Ducasse
École de Cuisine Alain Ducasse is one of the best culinary schools in France.
Each classroom in this school has been designed to resemble a real home in order to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible.
Also, the School’s common areas and kitchens, which are both functional and enjoyable, go together perfectly.
It is important to mention that for three years beginning in 2003, Cédric served as Alain Ducasse’s sous-chef at La Cour Jardin at the Plaza Athénée.
The man rose through the ranks from Chef de Partie at a number of upscale Parisian restaurants to become the Executive Chef at the Ecole de Cuisine Alain Ducasse.
11. Paul Bocuse Institute
As one of the top culinary schools in France, it accepts students from all around the world.
The Paul Bocuse Institute currently attracts about 1,400 students from over 72 nations who want to improve their cooking skills.
More than 2000 professionals visit their training centres to become better, and they have 6 public application restaurants.
The fact that they provide international 3-year bachelor’s degrees in culinary arts, 3-year degrees in pastry management, 4-year degrees in international restaurant management, and 4-year degrees in hotel management is of utmost importance.
Additionally, while pursuing these bachelor’s degrees, students learn managerial skills that help them be competent and effective after leaving school and entering the working world.
12. LeFoodist
LeFoodist is one of the best culinary schools in France.
Prospective students can learn about French culture through food at this school and they also provide wine-tasting courses where you can hone your palate by discovering the best wines to pair with cheese.
The schools add spice by providing a one-week gastronomy vacation in the Loire Valley and Provence.
They also offer small-group, hands-on cooking sessions that are conducted in an ideal setting, an organized kitchen, and in English.
As a result, LeFoodist prepares meals in a Parisian manner because the French city of Paris is well known for its regional cuisine.
Furthermore, in this culinary lesson, you’ll also learn how to make some French favorites like Beef Bourguignon, Cheese Soufflé, Coq au Vin, and Soupe à l’Oignon.
Lastly, LeFoodist is one of the culinary schools in France that offers cooking classes, pastry classes, baking classes, french cooking holidays, and food tours in Paris.
13. Atelier Gourmand De Lyon
This is one of the best culinary schools in France, and during their lessons, they introduce students to new flavors and teach them how to make an entire dish from the menu, which will equip them to become a master chef.
You’ll collaborate with other adults and have the chance to get to know your fellow students.
At Atelier Gourmand De Lyon, there is something for everyone; you can select to participate in a one-on-one session or a group class.
Additionally, each student participant has their own cooking station where they or may prepare meals as they or learn from the professional chef, which will help them or advance quickly in their culinary abilities.
14. Amis & Fines Herbes
This is one of the best culinary schools in France where the head chef, Nicholas André, has been working as a chef for 26 years.
The man has travelled extensively, which has allowed him to learn more about different culinary traditions and new goods.
This school aims to equip its students with the requisite knowledge and expertise needed to gain real-world experience.
Furthermore, its tuition fees are from €40-€80 per semester.
15. Cook’n With Class Paris
This is one of the French Culinary schools with small class numbers and a market excursion that enhances the learning process for both the students and the instructor.
The school has expanded from a single-room cooking school to a two-floor, three-studio culinary atelier as a result of their competence and brilliance.
Also, they now include classes on French desserts, baguettes, croissants, cheese, and wine, among many other things.
How Much Do Cooks Make in France?
The average pay for a Cook is €23,777 a year and €11 an hour in France.
While the average salary range for a Cook is between €18,261 and €27,462.
How Do I Become a Cook in France?
In France, becoming a chef requires at least ten years of work experience in the kitchen, all of which are usually paid”apprenticeships” that lead to the “big toque.”
Although toques are lightweight, they are esteemed in French society because they were won through hard work.
Also, to become a cook in France demands determination in addition to hard labor.
Moreover, Culinary Schools in France should be attended so as to satisfy the criteria of becoming a cook in France.
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Best Paying Culinary Jobs in France with Salary
A Chef instructor in culinary, baking and pastry arts makes an estimated $49.6k – $62.8k a year.
Pastry Chef instructor roles in France make $175 – $350 on a daily basis.
Similarly, a Chef instructor also makes between $175 – $350 a day.
Restaurant and Culinary management instructor earns between $71.8k – $91k per year.
Social & Catering Sales Manager in France earns an estimated $43.6k – $55.2k salary a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
It takes at least ten years of kitchen experience to become a chef in France, all of which are a sort of paying “apprenticeship” leading to the “big toque.” It requires not only hard work but dedication. Toques are light in weight, but they are earned through heavy labour and are therefore respected in French society.
The cost of culinary programs in France depends on the type of program the candidate has chosen. For gourmet programs that have a duration of a month, the fee can range from €2,000 to €3,000 on average.
Le Cordon Bleu
Founded in Paris in 1895, Le Cordon Bleu is considered today the largest network of culinary and hospitality schools in the world with more than 35 institutes in 20 countries and 20,000 students of over 100 nationalities are trained every year.
A person working as a Chef in France typically earns around 30,200 EUR per year. Salaries range from 14,800 EUR (lowest) to 47,100 EUR (highest). This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Chef salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location.
It requires dedication and discipline, and if you want to do it in France, then you have to add passion, commitment, resilience and an uncommon self-belief to the list. For centuries, the country’s professional cooks have distinguished themselves as masters in the art of culinary.
As a guide, the standard chef position demands 50-plus hours a week, including nights, weekends and holidays. For a chef job in a restaurant, expect to work 7 days a week for 12 to 14 hours each shift. And that’s pretty much the industry standard.
Job Outlook
The employment of chefs and head cooks is projected to grow 15 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 24,300 openings for chefs and head cooks are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
The international French pastry program is 5 months long with a 2-month mandatory internship anywhere in the country. Classes are in English, including 530 hours in the kitchen (comparable to Ferrandi and Le Cordon Bleu) and 80 hours of French language courses. Certificate received as well
Certificate programs in the pastry arts usually take less than one year to complete and provide focused, entry-level training. Associate’s degree programs typically require two years to complete and include courses in the business and technical aspects of being a pastry chef.
Conclusion
There are many Culinary Schools in France that welcome prospective applicants and students from all over the world.
Therefore, students who are interested in a career in Culinary arts should apply to one of these Culinary schools in France.
Best of luck!
References
- Schoolandtravel.com – Best Culinary Schools in France
- Studyabroad.com – Culinary Schools in France
- Indeed.com – Best Paying Culinary Jobs in France
- Erieri.com – Cook Salary in France
