Le Cordon Bleu to open International Flagship Cookery School and Café in London

Le Cordon Bleu cookery school has announced the opening of its new International Flagship Institute in London’s Bloomsbury Square today (13 January), with Café Le Cordon Bleu set to open on the site at the end of the month.

The new, state-of-the-art school has the capacity for up to 700 students, over twice that of the school’s current London location in Marylebone, offering a variety of short cookery and wine courses as well as a Professional Diploma in Culinary Management and Wine Courses.

A scholarship will also be introduced, worth over £40,000, offering one young student (16-19 years old) the chance to take Le Cordon Bleu Grande Diplôme with the fees and living costs paid for by the school.

The most prestigious qualification offered – Le Grand Diplôme - is an intense nine-month course, which develops the star chefs and industry leaders of the future. Despite current economic woes, demand for places (priced at up to £27,750 per year) is greater than ever – applications rose by 25 per cent in the last 18 months.

Café Le Cordon Bleu

As part of the development of the brand’s new International Flagship Institute, Le Cordon Bleu, will open its first café in Europe on 30 January 2012.

The façade of the Café has been styled based on Le Cordon Bleu Paris as it looked in the 1950s. As well as 30 seats inside the Café, there will be an additional 50 covers in the outside courtyard.

All food offered in Café Le Cordon Bleu will be freshly made by Le Cordon Bleu's master chefs.

Le Cordon Bleu was founded in Paris in 1895 and now operates more than 40 schools in over 20 countries, annually training more than 20,000 students in the Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Management.