thanks for the list, i have the same scenario with Vagabundo but I'm not planning to totally switch to culinary and drop my engineering job. But i love to cook and plan to take a shorts courses to learn more..

 

thanks for the list, will put this at the top of my list.

Edited by alabama2010 - 10/3/10 at 10:40pm

Was checking Ecole de Boulangerie de Paris & Ecole Française de Boulangerie d'Aurillac , they could be a cheaper option. Some Canadian schools also are cheaper it seems. 
Don't know though about Switzerland, any feedback?

 

 

 

For Ecole de Boulangerie de Paris: if you are a citizen of France or EU and under 25 then you may attend there apprentice type course free of cost but its in French language, other wise citizen of out side of European Union countries or above the age of 25yrs you must pay 10750 Euros tuition fees (+ living expanses) so not really cheap

The extraordinary fact is that you can qualify - City & Guilds, in South Africa for HALF that at just E5730/$7950 - which includes accom and return flight, plus guaranteed job after qualifying.  Non residents welcome.

High Cost?

Yeah but there are some purpose and goals to attend specific course City & Guilds UK is very good and recognized education which runs certificate to Diploma program its been taught in major commonwealth countries included UK, New Zealand S.Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Mauritius, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore etc etc

 

Unless you have pervious background or education in Food and Kitchen you have to take certificate, Diploma and then Advanced Diploma (patisserie).

 

I mean those students live in commonwealth countries that’s very good education and option for them but kindly understand here its same as your local community college program.

 

Does it make sense fly all the way to Johannesburg to attend simple baking program which you may attend locally in more affordable manners.

 

You may see all the details here http://www.cityandguilds.com/int-home.html

 

Xavier Which Institution you refering in S.Africa you mind to provide us any like (Thanks)

 

  

Dear Everyone,

 

I totally against  Khurram's recommendation of Ecole Ferrandi's pastry program. I can tell you because I'm in the program right now. First of all, the chef walks out from the classroom after the demonstration. It is supposed to be 75% hands on program. Yes, we have to be working by ourselves without the chef. The chef is not interested in teaching the spirit of the French pastry making. He is not demanding at all thus the entire class is so relaxed and is rather in the chatter room. The anglophone pastry program is very disorganized. For example, we don't know what we'll learning on the following week. I also want to tell you that the chefs, program manager and the director of the international program didn't know anything about our background. I had thought we had been selected very carefully, but nobody knows us! This program cost you 15000 euro. It's not worth it. I should have chosen French Pastry School in Chicago. This school is owned by MOF. Check it out. 

Dear Mr. Khurram.

I am overjoyed to recieve a reply from you. And I am deeply grateful to you for your help.

Your sole presence in this thread has helped me to an immense amount for the setting up of my future. I have decided to visit Paris next year with the money I have gathered from working for the last two months. I want to visit G.Ferrandi and see and experience it 1 on 1.

 

So many other Pastry/Culinary schools are present in our world and now I have finally come to the decision of getting my education from E.G.F as it offers so much of what other schools don't. Excellent teacher-student ratio, good programme, maximun practical learning hours and so on.(I did a bit of research myself!)

 

Thank you for your kind help Mr. Khurram. It is people like you in the world, who are willing to extend a hand of help to others, that makes this world a better place with a heartfelt meaning.

 

Money is not an issue for me. Money comes and goes as easily and effortlessly as wind.

So I plan to pursue my education as soon as possible after I complete a few things that I have to do.

 

What I want to say to you in french is...Merci Beaucoup!

Which means....Thank you very much.

 

Have a good day and good luck good sir!

i'm confused! Chocolat says the ecole ferrandi program sucks and khurram highly recommends it. So is it or isnt it a good school?

when where you planning to start at ecole ferrandi? I was told 2011 feb is closed but sept is open

Hi Laroux81, 

 

Please don't get confused by the program Khuramm has mentioned.Those programs are specially arranged between the schools in the US and Ferrandi. Those students are kind of exchange students and are treated differently. For example, they can study in the program for about 3 months with other young French students, who have to pass C.A.P. exam.  The 5 months pastry program for non-French people is the one I'm in now. I don't know why anglophone pastry program is so bad compared to other Ferrandi"s programs. For example, anglophone cuisine program seems excellent. It's really not worth it.

 

If you really want to rean the art of French pastry in Franc, I would recommend, Ecole Bellouet in Paris, ESNP in Lyon. The students at Bellouet is tought by Jean-Michel Perruchon, MOF and other excellent pastry chefs. Plus the class is limited up up to 6 students. Check www.ecolebellouetconseil.com. I wish I had known this school much earlier! ESNP is co-owned by Alan Ducuss. www.ensp.com Good luck.

 

Dear Bakedup:

 

I’m so grateful of your kind words I wish you great success in every phase of your life God may show you the right path and wisdom.

Sincerely,

Khurram

 

 

**Bonne chance**

 bonne chance   bonne chance

 

Dear Chocolat:

Nothing is perfect in this world

I’m sad to hear that you don’t have good experience with GF

But what ever I wrote was based on my personal experience and one on one visit in GF

I still think GF offer the best and competitive program in Patisserie.

By all means no matter how good the institutes are it also depend on student’s struggle motivation and hard working to absorb the knowledge and mastering in skills, alone institution cannot guarantee your success.

GF is reputable and recognized name and I guess you are the only one I’m hearing anything bad about the school.

Although, I sill highly recommend GF but every one should make their own research and check very very carefully before investing any money, so do you CHOCOLAT you should had conduct your research before joining GF and since you are already in the program (as you mentioned) you should immediately notifying your complaints (if genuine) with GF administration and in worse situation ministry of education or Paris chamber of commerce.

 

Its your future guys kindly don’t rely on personal recommendations or one person’s complaint you never know any one can write down any thing its could be one institution propagating against another institution, so be aware. MAKE YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

Best talk to your local community school instructors and see what they say.

 

BTW I find this interesting read:  http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/91367-escf-ferrandi-culinary-school/page__mode__linearplus

Is this thread dead?

Some good points brought up by all who discussed.

 

I'm also looking at a career change. Difficult to fast track with a school that may end up being a dud?!

Maybe I should call Jean Phillipe for an internship. lol....

 

Has anyone applied/accepted to GF?

Hey ,I'm here as a new comer and a cooking lover,a student.......

If you are looking to travel and gain the experience of being a different culture/environment, then I highly recommend going to another country. Going to school in France is the place to be for learning French Pastries. However, I highly advise looking into a school and getting opinions from culinary/pastry students from a particular school that you choose, rather than letting a school's website, or a school staff member dictate your choices. The opinions will be bias. However, with the range of opinions from the students themselves, I think you would be able to make the best judgments of the school based on your own research.

 

I have had many recommendations for Ecole Gregoire Ferrandi, however, I have not yet researched into this school and their programs. Based on the forums, I think this school would be one to consider researching into and won't be a waste of time.

 

Ecole Nationale Superieure de la Patisserie's FPA and 2 months program, however, I would not recommend. From my own research, this school is much unorganized, which is understandable for the reason that the international programs are very new. The matter of fact is ENSP is recognized for their many networks. I researched and have called the school, and heard different opinions and points of view. They can help you find internships all over France and will teach you the basic knowledge of patisserie. Their list of chefs and networks is amazing. It's just a bummer that these are not the different chefs who will be instructing you. You get 1 or 2 chefs to teach you for the 5 months. I would rather have chefs teach me based on their main profession. However, from hearing the opinions, I can make a judgment to say that (for the opinions of those I researched) anything positive they had to say about ENSP followed with 3+ negatives. Based on the ratio, I would prefer not to attend in a program that is of that high of tuition on top of disappointment and loss of motivation for the lack of equipment and organization. It was a relief to hear some positive opinions( it’s hard to stay motivated if it’s practically impossible to stay positive), but I will not gamble with 14,000 Euros especially from what I have researched.

 

These professional schools are not cheap, so spend the money wisely, and have no regrets. Do some research; check out their websites, look at their credentials, read their programs, call or contact students of all ages, backgrounds, etc. Base your decision off of those who have the heart and passion for the same thing you do. If you can't love a school, you can't love what you do.  If you can’t love what you do, you will not succeed.

Hello to all,

After months of stressful and tedious research I have decided to visit France before making any crazy decision. I just want to find one that I will absolutely agree on for the reason that I am invest alot of money into my career and if I go to school, it needs to be a great one. So far, GF is one I will visit when going to France, I spoke with the students, the school, looked into everything that can effect my attitude and motivation and made my final decision. There may be things in different programs that are not perfect,but they are professional, organized, and mainly, have students who strive to be the best. Le Cordon Bleu is known for a reason, but for some reason I did not fall in love. They seemed so much like an institute and felt like college, not a professional program in my opinion. But since its my opinion, Le Cordon Bleu can fit other's interest. Its a great school, and others can have mixed feelings, or may even fall in love, I , however, did not. Johnson and Wales University, was easier to research for the reason I was able to visit the campus. They are quite organized and the equipments are close to new and everything seemed perfect, but I am looking to travel. Art Institute had baking and pastry programs similar to Johnson and Wales but the lab looks cheap and unorganized. ENSP from my research is similar to AI, cheap on equipment and unorganized. I have also researched in certified programs where you learn different categories of cakes, desserts, entremets, etc. However the programs are about 1 month to 2 months.  These are not based on judgement, but facts of research. Upon my visit, I will be back to update on these blogs.

That's exactly my plan for end of June. I'll be backpacking with my best friend and then making a stop in Paris to visit culinary schools. I'll be looking a Ferrandi and LCB as well. OB and Valrhona are on the list too but I want to do a little more research on them. Let me know how it goes! I agree that it is deffinitely a good idea to visit the school before attending especially at that level of investment. I'm also looking into helping out at local bakeries before I had to school so I know what I'm getting in to. France is deffinitely where I want to be- the culture, the food, the history-- swooon! haha Thanks!

opinions of FPA STUDENTS  about the FPA PROGRAM can be found on that thread

 

http://www.cheftalk.com/forum/thread/64710/ensp-ecole-nationale-superieure-de-la-patisserie-fpa-program-in-yssingeaux-france

 

CHECK THIS THREAD B4 GOING FARTHER WITH THE FPA

holland collage in p.e.i. canada is one of the best around,,,could be the best in canada

 

chefwa,

 

Why do you say that? What makes it the best? I have been looking around but I would like to stay in Canada. :)

Hello I am also interested in going to pastry chef school. I have heard that the Bonnie Gordon school of confectionary art in Toronto is good but expensive and there is also a community college in P.E.I. Holland college has a very good reputation and is very affordable but class does not start until September for this program. Has anyone heard anything about Bonnie Gordon, your input is greatly appreciated.

this is an old blog but at one point you suggested not going to le cordon bleu....could you tell me why i'm in canada and seriously considering going there???

Hello guys!
Dose anybody know something about the Olivier Bajard international school? I really want to go there, i prefer exactly this school above all. Could anybody tell me why nobody is considering this option? Here is a link http://www.olivier-bajard.com/
I really need a feedback about this school from somebody that already get through their program! Thanks in advance!

Are you out of your mind?  Stick to being a pharmacist, and bake at home as a hobby!