Madame Brassart facts for kids
| Born | Élisabeth Brassart 1897 |
|---|---|
| Died | 1992 (aged 94–95) |
Élisabeth Brassart (1897–1992) was an important figure in the world of cooking schools. She was the owner of the famous Le Cordon Bleu school in Paris. She led the school from 1945 until 1984.
Le Cordon Bleu was first started in 1895 by Marthe Distel and Henri-Paul Pellaprat. After World War II, in 1945, Madame Brassart bought the school. It was having a tough time then. She bought it from a Catholic orphanage that had taken over the school after its founder passed away.
Leading a Famous Cooking School
Under Madame Brassart's leadership, Le Cordon Bleu became very well-known. She brought in many famous chefs to teach there. The school also became very international. Students came from all over the world, including the United States and Japan.
Madame Brassart managed the school for many years. In 1984, when she was 87 years old, she decided to retire. She sold the school to André J. Cointreau, who was a long-time family friend. He is the current owner of Le Cordon Bleu.
What Students Thought of Madame Brassart
Some people have written about Madame Brassart in books. One famous student was Julia Child, who studied at Le Cordon Bleu when Madame Brassart was in charge.
Julia Child wrote in her book, My Life in France, that she and Madame Brassart often disagreed. Julia felt that Madame Brassart made getting a diploma seem like a big secret. She also thought Madame Brassart was not a good manager.
In the 2009 movie, Julie & Julia, an actress named Joan Juliet Buck played Madame Brassart. Her portrayal in the film matched how Julia Child described her.
However, not everyone agreed with this view. Nina Zagat, who also studied at Le Cordon Bleu, knew both Madame Brassart and Julia Child. Nina Zagat and her husband wrote an article about them. They said that Madame Brassart was actually more friendly in real life. They described Julia as tall and loud, while Madame Brassart was small, elegant, and spoke many languages. Nina Zagat said that Madame Brassart had a great sense of humor. She also said that Madame Brassart's work as a cooking educator was very important.
See also
