Visiting Le Cordon Bleu

Last spring I visited the brand new Boston campus of the world-famous Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. Originally founded in Paris in 1895, Le Cordon Bleu has developed a reputation for academic and culinary excellence, and the residents of the larger metro-Boston area are very lucky to now have the institution’s newest campus in our own backyard.

When I first visited, the halls were quiet and the first group of students had just arrived. When I returned at the end of September, the halls were bustling, the classroom kitchens were filled, and good smells filled the air. I had the opportunity to speak with several chefs as well as students about their experiences so far, and their responses were overwhelmingly positive.

From Le Cordon Bleu

Chef Ying-Wei Luo, who is currently the pastry chef at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge and teaches Introduction to Baking and Pastry, invited me into his classroom to meet his students and try a freshly baked roll. The students were all very engaged in their work, and their rolls were excellent.

From Le Cordon Bleu

From Le Cordon Bleu

I also spent time speaking with a few students from Cambridge and Somerville, who were all very glad to have the opportunity to attend this world-class school of culinary arts right outside of Boston. All-in-all, this is a fantastic institution, and is a great addition to the already thriving academic community in Cambridge.