There is a very sweet scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding when the 30-year-old Toula Portokalos goes back to college as an adult to take a course in computing and tourism, having decided to forge a different path to working at her family’s Greek restaurant. I watched this movie a very long time ago but remember how pleased Toula looked as she brings her lunchbox to the common room/ refectory to sit and to eat with the other girls.
I too was similarly excited to be back at ‘school’, writing down my Must Remember list the night before my first Le Cordon Bleu cookery class. Admittedly, I am twice the age of Toula when she went back to adult education lessons, and I was only at LCB for a one day course. Nevertheless I made sure to prepare well because there are strict rules on what is permissible by way of e.g. clothing.
Here is the LCB Dress Code:
Participants are required to wear clothing which covers the arms and legs: a loose-fitting long-sleeved shirt or top, and full-length loose-fitting trousers are recommended. Long hair must be tied back; hairnets will be available to purchase. Flat, nonslip soles with closed toe must be worn. Sandals and high heels are not permitted in the kitchen. Please keep jewellery to a minimum.
There is a 13-page Student Induction Handbook to read beforehand, where you will also find the history of LCB. See the end of the post for a potted summary.
Every student gets their own work station as well as their own cooking range
In the previous post I wrote about the cookery class. That was from 11.30 am to 6.00 pm, with only a short half an hour break after we had prepped all the fish and shellfish. I had the sense to eat half a pastry at the LCB cafe before heading up to the class, because that was all I had until I reached home at 7 pm. Most of the other students ate what they cooked (I think that is the general idea, to taste what you have cooked and also to stave off hunger) but I did want to bring everything home so Mr Gochugaru and I could enjoy dinner together. It never crossed my mind that I would not succeed at producing a gourmet meal at the end of the class.
My 11 am snack of half a marmalade pain au chocolat, which sustained me until dinnertime
In fact the Café Le Cordon Bleu would be worth visiting as a destination in its own right. Next time I am trying a cream-filled cherry croissant
The address of LCB Bloomsbury is 15 Bloomsbury Square. As you walk pass its front door you will see an alleyway to the right which leads to Pied Bull Yard which is a hidden wonder
Located in Pied Bull Yard are the LCB cafe, London Review Bookshop and St John Bakery, as well as The Classic Camera and Truckles Wine Bar and Restaurant
London Review Bookshop, in case you need a few more cookery books
So far three friends have asked me about the experience and if I would do another course. The answer is a definite yes, subject to what time I have. The course I attended was extremely well organised, the tutor had vast experience running a professional Michelin-starred kitchen, the students were of all ages and all nationalities (one was heading to the airport for her return flight to Taiwan that same evening) and hooray! I was not the oldest student in the class.
What I enjoyed about the class: being in an educational setting where every student was attentive, learning a new skill, the choice produce, no exams and most of all, no washing up. No washing up is a true luxury for me as I always have to clean my kitchen after every meal. At LCB there were kitchen porters who washed up my chopping boards, pots, pans and plates. I made sure to clean my knives, wipe down my work station and to clean my stove (as I said, we each had our own space so I did become possessive), as that is the minimum a cook should do as a matter of good practice. But if anyone wants to do the rest, please be my guest.
Aiming to start the next, next generation on the right path
Le Cordon Bleu History, taken from the LCB Student Handbook:
The name Le Cordon Bleu has been associated with culinary excellence since the 16th century. It originates from King Henry III’s French “L’Ordre du Saint-Esprit”, the symbol for which was a cross hung on a blue ribbon, or un cordon bleu.
The first Le Cordon Bleu School was founded in Paris in 1895 by Marthe Distel, journalist and publisher of the magazine La Cuisinière Cordon Bleu, and the first cookery demonstration was held in October 1895.
In January 2012, Le Cordon Bleu’s Centre of Excellence opened at 15 Bloomsbury Square in London.