Le Cordon Bleu facts for kids
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| Type | Culinary school |
|---|---|
| Established | 1895 |
| Location |
Worldwide
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Le Cordon Bleu (which means "The Blue Ribbon" in French) is a famous school. It teaches people how to cook amazing food. It also teaches about managing hotels and restaurants. This school is known for its "haute cuisine," which means very fancy French cooking.
Le Cordon Bleu has schools all over the world. There are 35 schools in 20 different countries. More than 20,000 students learn there.
Contents
History of Le Cordon Bleu
The name "Le Cordon Bleu" comes from a very old French tradition. Long ago, in 1578, there was a special group of French knights. They were part of the "Order of the Holy Spirit." This was a very important award in France.
Each knight wore a special cross on a blue silk ribbon. These knights were known for their amazing and fancy parties. People started calling these great meals "cordons bleus."
Even after the knights' order ended, the name stuck. "Blue ribbon" became a way to describe excellent French cooking. Later, in the late 1800s, a French cooking magazine used this name. It was called La Cuisinière Cordon Bleu.
The magazine's founder, Marthe Distel, started offering cooking lessons. These lessons were taught by some of France's best chefs. This led to the first Le Cordon Bleu school. Marthe Distel and Henri-Paul Pellaprat opened it in Paris, France, in 1895.
After World War II, a woman named Madame Elisabeth Brassart bought the school. She ran it until 1984. Then, André J. Cointreau bought the school. His family was famous for making drinks like Cointreau liqueur.
Le Cordon Bleu Around the World
Le Cordon Bleu schools are not just in France. They are in many countries.
In 1933, a former student named Dione Lucas helped open a school in London, Great Britain.
For a while, there were many Le Cordon Bleu schools in the United States. These schools were part of a special agreement. However, these schools closed down by September 2017. This allowed students who were already there to finish their programs.
Even though those schools closed, Le Cordon Bleu still helps students in the United States. Its New York office helps students go to schools in other countries.
Cities with Le Cordon Bleu Schools
Here are some of the cities where you can find Le Cordon Bleu schools today:
- Campuses in Europe
- Campuses in the Americas
- Campuses in Oceania
- Australia
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Campuses in Asia
- Shanghai, China
- Beirut, Lebanon
- Gurgaon, India
- Tokyo, Japan
- Seoul, Korea
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Manila, Philippines
Famous Alumni
Many famous chefs and food experts have studied at Le Cordon Bleu.
- Some famous people who studied in Paris include Julia Child, Giada De Laurentiis, and Dame Mary Berry.
- From the Los Angeles school, students included David Burtka and Kelis.
- From the Pasadena school, Charity Morgan and Evan Funke are alumni.
- Princess Marie-Astrid of Liechtenstein studied at the London school.
See also
In Spanish: Le Cordon Bleu para niños
- Cooking schools
- French cuisine
