Esteemed French Pastry Program Offers Courses in English

 
For Americans wanting to study real French pastry, in France, few choices are available unless you actually speak French.  Until recently... 

L'École Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie is now offering several pastry arts programs taught in English.  The school, renowned for 25 years as a program for professionals looking to hone their pastry skills, recently developed an international program geared towards foreign, English speaking students.  Located in Yssingeaux, France (about a 2h 30min TGV from Paris, and 30min from Lyon—the home of the Bocuse d'Or), the courses are taught in the newly renovated Château de Montbarnier (pictured). 

Four specific programs are now offered in English.  Three two-month programs are offered in the summer (July-August) and winter (January-February), and were designed for various levels of experience.  The "Initiation Campus" offers beginners and hobbyists an intensive pastry program covering the fundamentals of French pastry.  The "Perfecting Campus" is geared toward recent graduates of pastry programs and admission requires prior experience in professional pastry.  The "Professional Campus" is also designed for professionals, those with minimum two to three years of experience, and includes added instruction in sugar and chocolate showpieces and ice sculpture. 

The fourth program, The French Pastry Arts Program Nicolas Toulliou, is a six month pastry certification program that provides students with the fundamentals of French pastry and baking, upon successful completion of which the student earns their CCA, Certificat de Compétences Académiques. 

What makes L'École Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie, and the French Pastry Arts Program Nicolas Toulliou, just about the best choice for people who want to pursue a career in French baking and pastry is the level of instruction—no other pastry arts program has so many instructors and lecturers with the M.O.F. title (Meilleurs Ouvrier de France), the most coveted in the universe of culinary distinctions.  The M.O.F. is awarded to only a handful of masters of their craft, even woodworkers, and in pretty much every culinary discipline from Pastry and Chocolate to Bread and Cheese. 

The most surprising thing about the French Pastry Arts Program Nicolas Toulliou at L'École Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie is the cost.  At 13,000 Euro ($17,500), the pastry program is less expensive than the most prestigious pastry programs offered in America.  A few examples are the French Culinary Institute in New York City, where the six month program costs between $37,000-$43,550.  The Institute for Culinary Education, also in NYC, costs up to $28,000, and Chicago's French Pastry School will set a student back $21,500.  The two-month programs range in price from 5,000 - 5,900 Euro ($6,725 - $7,900).

Considering that housing costs are not included in any pastry program's tuition and fees, a prospective student looking to study in New York City or Chicago will also be faced with high rent on top of high tuition.  For housing, L'École Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie has made arrangements for its students.  At 390 Euro per month ($525), students can live ten minutes walking distance from the campus.  Add to that the fact that breakfast is included in the cost, and lunch can be added at 10 Euro per meal (appetizer, main, and of course dessert), and the French Pastry Arts Program Nicolas Toulliou looks even more affordable by comparison. 

What should make this program even more desirable to English speaking pastry students are the 80 hours of French language instruction.  Not only will French language skills help future pastry chefs communicate with their French peers, students will need those skills when it comes time to do their one month internship.  Another bonus of the program is their placement of students into choice internship positions throughout France. 

One thing to understand about the program is that it focuses strictly on classic French Pâtisserie, so if you're interested in doing wedding cakes covered in fondant, or want to follow in the footsteps of Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman, then this isn't the pastry school for you. 

The French Pastry Arts Program Nicolas Toulliou is accepting applications for its October 11, 2010 session.  For more information, just follow the links... 

International Programs Homepage: 
http://www.ensp-adf.com/ensp-international-programs-classes-in-french-pastry-arts.php 

Overview of The French Pastry Arts Program Nicolas Toulliou:

http://www.ensp-adf.com/certificate-of-academic-skills-in-french-pastry-arts2.php

Brochure for The French Pastry Arts Program Nicolas Toulliou:

http://www.ensp-adf.com/fichiers/PDF/ENSP_nicolas_touilliou_BR.pdf

Overview of the Three Two-Month Programs:

http://www.ensp-adf.com/pastry-summer-french-pastry2.php

Brochure for the Two-Month Programs:

http://www.ensp-adf.com/fichiers/PDF/DESCRIPTION_ENSP_PASTRY_CAMPUS_2010.pdf

Accommodation/Meals Information:

http://www.ensp-adf.com/fichiers/PDF/ACCOMMODATION_AND_MEALS_CCA.pdf

Chef Cesar Ramirez and Brooklyn Fare, Now on Facebook!

That's right food lovers, if you want to follow Chef Cesar Ramirez and Brooklyn Fare, both the Kitchen and the Market, now you can be a Fan on Facebook. They'll be sharing updates on Market specials, catering menus, and press, as well as what the talented Ramirez concocts in his highly acclaimed Kitchen.

The expansion of Brooklyn Fare Kitchen is set for early July, when they'll go from the current one seating of ten people to two seatings of eighteen people, five nights a week. And, they'll keep all their Facebook Fans updated on the progress of the Kitchen's redesign, temporary closing (just a week though), and grand reopening.

Ramirez: "It's going to be a lot of work, but we're so excited. We needed to expand, but I wanted to keep the concept as close to what it is now, the intimate experience of eating in an actual kitchen. Now that we're on Facebook, we can share our excitement and progress with everyone."

As the lucky little Admin, yours truly will be keeping the Brooklyn Fare Facebook page updated with new images, inside scoops, and tidbits of wisdom from the sagacious Cesar Ramirez. I look forward to seeing you all there soon!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Brooklyn-NY/Brooklyn-Fare-Kitchen-Market/105845076110802?ref=ts

http://www.brooklynfare.com

Photos courtesy of Roy Govshovitz

Breast Milk Cheese?

I just couldn't resist commenting on the breast milk cheese that Chef Daniel Angerer of Klee Brasserie is making from his lactating wife, Lori Mason. While many reports claimed that Chef Angerer is "serving up" his wife's breast milk cheese to customers of Klee Brasserie, this just isn't true, he is not offering breast milk cheese on the menu. Chef Angerer is offering guests at his home a taste of human cheese, and evidently many members of the press too.

On his blog, Chef Angerer actually gives his recipe for "Mommy's Milk Cheese," where one reader shares that they've made breast milk key lime pie. What I found most incredible about his blog entry was the fact that so many people were saying what a great idea this is.

Now I'm open-minded when it comes to food. I've eaten things that make most people cringe, brains, guts, feet, stomach, sperm, and even testicles, but never the human variety.  While some people may say "milk is milk," I'd respond that "meat is meat," but that doesn't mean I have any cravings for a human rib roast.

4th Annual StarChefs' International Chef's Congress Lights Up NYC

Having wrapped up its forth year and still going strong, the International Chef's Congress, organized by StarChefs.com and held every September, is still the premier food event in America.

I've attended three of the past four Chef's Congresses, and the only disappointing thing was that I didn't attend all four.  With guests spanning the culinary elite from countries the world over, the roster of Chef's Congress speakers and demonstrators reads like a list of angels—and even some deities—from food heaven:  Pierre Hermé, Albert Adria, Frédéric Bau, Ken Oringer, José Andrés, Eric Ripert, Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson, Masaharu Morimoto, Wylie Dufresne, Oriol Balaguer, Joël Robuchon, Gualtiero Marchesi, Dan Barber, Elena and Juan Mari Arzak, Elizabeth Falkner, Charlie Trotter, Pierre Gagnier, Grant Achatz, Paco Torreblanca, Pichet Ong, Albert Trummer....

The Congress, a three day event, not only highlights the talents and trends in the universe of food, it brings together seasoned professionals with budding up-and-comers for an exciting exchange of knowledge, experiences and ideas .  Young chefs leave the event inspired, energized, and rearing to rise up in the food world and make a name for themselves with their own culinary creations.

At the fourth annual Congress I had the great good fortune of meeting founder Antoinette Bruno and spending a day watching her in action.  A veritable force of energy on two legs, without Antoinette this event wouldn't go off nearly as well as it does, year after year.  Of course every event of such a large scale has blips, but Bruno trouble-shoots in real time, juggling Blackberry messages, walkie-talkie communications among staffers, and the schedules of her star chefs, all while maintaining an air of sheer joy at watching her event unfold—like a kid who started her own candy shop.  As if that weren't enough, Bruno is also a talented self-taught photographer whose images of food and chefs grace the pages of the Congresses' glorious program book.

Antoinette Bruno w/ Juan Mari Arzak

With more hands-on workshops, demonstrations and tastings than I can cover here, I'd just like to share some photos (well, quite a lot of photos actually) of my personal favorites from this year's Congress:  Masaharu Morimoto, Jose Andrés, Juan Mari Arzak, Paco Torreblanca, Marcus Samuelsson, Rohini Dey and Maneet Chauhan.

Masaharu Morimoto (on Fish, of course), Iron Chef

The Highly Animated Jose Andres of Mini Bar, Washington DC

Owner Rohini Dey and Executive Chef Maneet Chauhan, At Vermilion

 

Hands-on Workshop w/ Chef Marcus Samuelsson, Aquavit

Pastry Chef Extraordinaire Paco Torreblanca

 

  

  

  

Last, but certainly not least, Juan Mari Arzak!

  

 

Friends at the Fore

A quick shout out to Damien Herrgott, Executive Pastry Chef at the soon-to-open Bosie Tea Parlor in NYC. Time Out New York announced the opening, in which they said: "To go with the teas are sweets like macarons from pastry chef Damien Herrgott, who’s logged hours at Paris’s famed Pierre Hermé, and as executive pastry chef at Bouley Bakery. Quick correction to TONY, Damien Herrgott didn't just "log hours" at Pierre Hermé, he was hired at the young age of 23 to be the Chef for the opening of Hermé's first store in Paris. He remained with Hermé for four years, and also headed up the opening of his second Paris location.

Another bow to Cesar Ramirez, Executive Chef at Brooklyn Fare Kitchen, for the rave review he got on The Q, GQ Magazine's blog. Congratulations, Cesar! We knew you'd be a hit from the first time we ate there, and from the glorious birthday dinner you made for me and my friends. Kudos, you deserve it!