The Sections of Le Cordon Bleu

There are three levels at Le Cordon Bleu for the diplôme de cuisine; Basic, Intermediate, and Superior.

The start times of these sections is flexible, but must be predetermined before commencement. These sections can also be broken up over time. In fact, it is also possible to change locations for the different sections. For example, a sous chef in Utah went to Paris for Basic and Intermediate, but moved to London for Superior. This was mainly because she didn’t speak French (and didn’t want to learn it). While all three sections are taught in French, Basic and Intermediate are immediately translated to English; Superior is taught in French sans English translation.

I chose to place all three sections back to back working straight through. It was the easiest for me in terms of finding an apartment rental, making the trip to Europe, and I figured that once I was in the groove I would want to stay in the groove.

The start dates of my sections were also specifically and strategically chosen. I have heard that the winter in Paris can be a dark and lonely time, but often thaws quickly. The main reason however, for starting in January and ending by the end of August was because I would not miss any important dates. That is to say immediate family’s birthdays and the holidays. I love the Christmas holiday season and I think I would struggle exceptionally if I was in a foreign country alone during this time.