Le Cordon Bleu, renowned for shaping culinary careers globally for over a century, is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated scholarship competition for 2024 is now open. This unique opportunity invites passionate culinary enthusiasts to vie for a coveted spot in the esteemed Grand Diplôme® programme, internship at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu, alongside accommodation for a year and mentoring from Michel Roux and more, the total prize worth over £60,000.

The institute extends a warm welcome to individuals of all backgrounds, embracing diversity and talent without barriers. The competition will give participants a chance to follow their dreams and aspirations, learning from Le Cordon Bleu London's Master Chefs and interning under the kitchen team at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu, a once in a lifetime opportunity for aspiring culinary professionals.

The institute runs scholarship competitions each year, and the Le Cordon Bleu Scholarship follows the success of the Julia Child Scholarship and Wine Scholarship by Le Cordon Bleu, providing an incredible opportunity for someone who has a passion for the culinary arts and aspires for a career in the culinary hospitality industry.

The nine-month Grand Diplôme® represents the pinnacle of culinary education, combining the art of Diplôme de Cuisine and Diplôme de Pâtisserie. Recognised worldwide for its excellence, it serves as a launchpad for promising careers in the culinary realm, offering unparalleled opportunities for growth and advancement.

Upon completing the Grand Diplôme®, the scholarship recipient will embark on a three-month internship at CORD restaurant, taught by Executive Chef Karl O'Dell (formerly Monarch Theatre Park Row, Texture, Petrus). This hands-on experience will provide invaluable insights into the dynamic world of professional kitchens, setting the stage for future success.

Le Cordon Bleu Scholarship has some fantastic partners including Michel Roux, Chris Galvin, Louis Latour, Gosset, global publisher Phaidon, family-owned fruit and dairy company, best known for Bonne Maman Andros and student accommodation Londonist. As part of their prize, the winner will receive mentoring from Michel Roux, work experience with Galvin Restaurants, 12 months accommodation during their studies and a trip to visit Andros' site at Bairs-sur-Cère, in the South-West of France.

The competition will unfold in three stages: an initial online round, followed by semi-finals conducted through personal interviews, with the journey culminating at a finale at Le Cordon Bleu London, where finalists will showcase their skills in an exciting culinary challenge.

Participants can apply now online here.

Key details:

Competition launch: OPEN NOW

Applications close: 31st May 2024

Semi-finals: 8th & 9th July 2024

Finals: 16th September 2024

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About Le Cordon Bleu

Le Cordon Bleu is the leading global network of culinary arts and hospitality management institutes steeped in history with a rich heritage spanning over 120 years. The school maintains its global presence with 35 schools in more than 20 countries, training over 20,000 students of more than 100 different nationalities every year. Traditional French culinary techniques remain at the heart of Le Cordon Bleu, but its academic programmes are constantly adapted to include new, innovative technologies required to suit the growing needs of the hospitality industry. The London institute offers a large range of programmes from short courses, certificates and professional diplomas covering cuisine, pâtisserie, wine, nutrition and management, to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in culinary arts and hospitality management.

About CORD by Le Cordon Bleu

CORD is the first dining concept by Le Cordon Bleu to open in the City of London. It uniquely offers under one roof a fine dining destination restaurant, an all-day café, and an outpost to the London Le Cordon Bleu culinary institute. The focus remains on delivering exquisite dining experiences backed by the excellence and savoir faire brought by Le Cordon Bleu techniques, passion for innovation and the desire to celebrate local gastronomy.

CORD can also provide several event spaces including exclusive hire of the café and restaurant as well as private meeting and dining rooms for corporate team building, strategy days and other celebratory events. The central London location provides easy transport links to a number of underground and mainline stations.

About Andros

Andros is a family-owned company based in southwest France recognised as a global leader in fruit transformation and chilled dairy products manufacturing. Andros is best known for Bonne Maman, a simple, high quality, wholly natural product with significant success in the UK, now leading the UK conserve market and rapidly gaining share in chilled desserts and yoghurt.

The Andros production site in the UK is one of the most technologically advanced dairy processing facilities in Europe, producing a range of brands and private label chilled desserts including mousses, cremes, cheesecakes, trifles and jellies.

About Londonist

Londonist Student Accommodation are sponsoring one room for the winner of the Scholarship Award for 12 months. Londonist DMC is the UK's leading destination management centre company, offering the widest choice of tailor-made services in every area of London as well as other cities in the UK. They can provide both short term and long-term accommodation, from 2 weeks up until 24, 36, 43 and 51 weeks.

For more information about Londonist visit the Londonist website.

About Phaidon

Phaidon is the premier global publisher of the creative arts. They work with the world's most influential authors to produce innovative books on art, photography, design, architecture, fashion, food, and travel, and illustrated books for children. Phaidon has a long and distinguished history as an art-book publisher with over 1,500 titles in print.

Phaidon have a long-standing relationship with Le Cordon Bleu, hosting events such as book launches for acclaimed chefs, including alumnus Virgilio Martinez's The Latin American Cookbook

Champagne Gosset

Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne. It was founded in Aÿ in 1584 by Pierre Gosset an alderman and wine-grower who made mostly red wines. At that time the region's still wines competed for pride of place on the best tables of France with the wines of Beaune which were made from the same grape varieties as they are today. In the 18th century Gosset joined their neighbours and began to make the sparkling wines for the first time. It was at this time that the house adopted the unique antique flaskshaped bottle that is still used today.

Since 1993 Gosset has been owned by the Renaud Cointreau family who have sought to protect the quality and character of their wines. This has led them to keep production levels moderate and to respect the history of the house along with the integrity of the region and its vineyards.

Maison Louis Latour

The Latour family has been based in Aloxe-Corton in Burgundy since 1768. A négociant business was founded in 1797 and has been based in Beaune since 1867. The business has been passed through the Latour generations for 11 generations and is currently led by Florent Latour with his niece and daughter of Louis-Fabrice Latour, Eléonore Latour recently joining as the 12th generation.

Maison Louis Latour owns almost fifty hectares of grand cru, premier cru and communal vineyards in Aloxe-Corton, Gevrey- Chambertin, Puligny-Montrachet, Vosne-Romanée, Pernand-Vergelesses, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Pommard, Volnay and Beaune.

Louis Latour introduced Chardonnay into the Ardèche in the late '70s and has been producing Chardonnay since the 1980's using the same vinification techniques as in Burgundy. There is now a modern winery, near the archaeological site of Alba-la-Romaine, with a tasting room.