To bring the Intensive Professional Programs February intake to a perfect close, we chose two important regions in France for our students to visit and benefit from their mix of gastronomy and natural beauty. Our international students discovered the different types of restaurants, typical regional dishes and were able to see some of the most beautiful landscapes in France.

The students of the Intensive Cuisine and Bread Baking program had the chance to travel to Brittany, where they discovered the traditional city of Saint-Malo and its surroundings, including the famous Mont Saint-Michel, the marvelous centuries-old monument located in the coast of neighbor region Normandy and UNESCO World Heritage site, and Cancale, known for its beaches and sand banks.

The region of Brittany has many culinary specialties such as the world-famous French Crêpe, the Kouign Amann and Far Breton. It is also rich in quality raw materials, seafood, pork, market garden products (cabbage, carrots, onions, and chitterlings) and much more.

The students also visited an oyster farm, in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, where the oyster beds are located and they received an explanation on how they clean, purify and calibrate the oysters and of course, the tour ended with a real tasting experience. In addition, the students benefited from the visit of the Bordier butters with all the work of kneading and butter shaping.  

On the same note, the Intensive Pastry students embarked on a trip to the astonishing French Riviera, internationally known for its paradisiac beaches and the Cannes’ Film Festival. They visited several places in and around Cannes, including the Saint-Honorat island, Grasse – popularly known for being the home of perfume, the Florian confectionery, and the Moulin d’Opio.

Cannes was chosen as a destination because of its rich Mediterranean gastronomy and because of the way its architecture plays a big role in the Côte d’Azur region. Our international Pastry students visited a traditional confectionery of bonbon, an olive oil mill and also visited the international Perfume Museum - where they had the chance to create their own perfumes. This has been a sensory and olfactory experience and 
our students will soon start a new adventure: their internship!

To end our academic year on a high note, the graduation ceremony for our Introduction to the Fundamentals of both Pastry and Chocolate & Confectionery students was held last week. 

The Introductions programs are opened to anyone who would like to learn iconic recipes, they could be food-enthusiasts, new chefs who want to expand their repertoire or even aspiring-chefs who want to immerse themselves in a discovery program before committing to a longer training*. 
In these two-week full-time program, our international students gained a vast knowledge in the fields of Pastry and Chocolate. During their programs, they had the chance to try and experiment emblematic recipes like Paris Brest, Tarte au citron (lemon tart), Black Forest, Macarons, Chocolate Bar, among other delicious classic recipes. 

Check out below of the tasteful products the students from Chocolate & Confectionary program made under the supervision of our Chef Arnaud Bonnefoy, including a Minions Showpiece!

This very international training, which included about 25 nationalities for this summer intakes, is a major hit! The feedback from the students and their eagerness to come back says a lot about it, so some of them are even joining the upcoming Intensive program at FERRANDI Paris!

In order to conclude our Introductions programs, this week will be the last week of French Cuisine, and on Monday the Bread baking program will start. Another two weeks full of interesting things await our students, with our top-notch chefs, who put all their efforts to give the students all the information and experience they might need and in a short time period.

We hope to see you soon at FERRANDI Paris!

Magret de canard, pomme maxime et ratatouille,  Duroc veal medallion, cocotte potatoes*
Recipe for 2

Duck Magret : 

• Duck magret:1 piece
• Salt / Pepper mill: To taste

 Remove excess fat and vessels from the duck, and keep chilled

Ratatouille  

• Olive oil/Salt/Pepper: As needed
• Chopped red onion: 1 piece
• Yellow courgette: 1 piece
• Green courgette: 1 piece
• Aubergine: ½ piece
• Red pepper: ½ piece
• Garlic: 1 clove
• Rosemary: 1 sprig 

Finely dice all the vegetables to form a brunoise, then sauté them separately in a frying pan with olive oil.
Combine all the vegetables once cooked, correct seasoning and set aside

Maxim’s Potatoes

• Potatoes  400 g
• Salt / Espelette To taste
• Butter / Oil  To taste

Peel and wash the potatoes, then using a cookie cutter cut into cork shapes.
Finely slice the potatoes using a mandolin, do not wash.
Lay out the potatoes in the moulds in a rosette formation.
Brush with clarified butter, make a second layer and then start cooking on the edge of the stove.
Cook 5 minutes on each side and the finish in the oven for few more minutes at 180°C. (according the thickness)

Glazed Turnip

• Long white turnip:  ½ piece
• Butter/Water/Salt/: As Needed
• Maple syrup: To finish
• Poppy seeds  

Peel, wash and shape the turnip with an apple corer, then glaze the pieces of turnip in a frying pan with the butter, water and maple syrup
Cut a strip of filo dough, brush with clarified butter, roll around tubes coat with parchment paper, tight with tin foil and cook in the oven 180°C- 8 minutes

*This recipe is issued from the Introduction to the fundamentals of French cuisine program designed by FERRANDI Paris Chef instructors

Europe is the world’s largest chocolate manufacturer and export market* and France is among one of the fastest-growing chocolate exporters between 2019 and 2020*. It is therefore no surprise that our two-weeks Introduction to the Fundamentals of Chocolate and Confectionery program was such a hit this past summer!
Despite being so popular, chocolate is known to be one of the most difficult ingredients to work with, as regulation of temperatures is extremely important to make it work. We had the chance to speak to our Chef-Instructor Arnaud Bonnefoy, who told us a little bit more about the program in chocolate and confectionery and gave us an insightful overview of his expertise. 

Tempering chocolate (the technical term for raising and lowering the temperature repeatedly) is indeed often described as the most crucial stage in creating chocolate. This process gives chocolate its iconic glossy finish by changing the crystal formation of the cocoa butter. Thankfully, with the help of technology in our labs, and with the guidance from our expert chefs, students are able to learn how to temper chocolate and get the best results every time. 

Another crucial aspect of confectionery is learning the importance of different ingredients. One example Arnaud spoke about was the different types of sugar and their uses. Not only is it important to select the appropriate type of sugar, but also to understand the processes behind it: the science of the glucose contents and how it interacts with the other active ingredients to make the final product.
When asked about his best advice for people aspiring to become chocolatiers, Arnaud answered in a blink “originality”. FERRANDI Paris fosters creativity and in our longer Intensive Programs students even have art classes! In order to be successful, you must do something different that has not been done before and use the knowledge and skills that you are taught to make something completely new. And, of course, strive for perfection – taste is everything in this industry! 

The Introduction to the Fundamentals in Chocolate and Confectionery includes a visit to a Parisian chocolatier. Students will have plenty of hands-on practice in the labs, making all types of desserts from marshmallows to Arnaud’s favourite – pralines. This is more than enough to set solid basis and at the same time provide beginner-level students a good overview of the profession. 

The Introduction to the Fundamentals programs are fully taught in English, are open to anyone over 18 years old, and requires no previous experience. Hurry up, the next intake for this course is January 2023 and seats are limited! 
 

We had the chance to speak with one of our pastry chefs Lucas Siwinski. Lucas has been a chef-instructor at FERRANDI Paris for two years and teaches pastry for our international programs in English.

You can read the interview here:

Q: Can you tell us more about your background and the industry experience that you have had around the world?

A: I actually originally studied as an engineer, before I realised that my true passion was in pastry. With this realisation, I applied to study at FERRANDI Paris and that is where my journey began. After graduating from the class of 2004, I worked in a few pastry shops in different areas of Paris (including Gérard Mulot’s Maison Mulot) before moving to Melbourne, Australia, to be a chef at a private club. Next, I moved to South America, specifically Colombia and Argentina working as a consultant and a pastry teacher at the Instituto Superior Mariano Moreno. After several years in South America, I eventually returned to France in 2018, having been offered a position as a chef-instructor at FERRANDI Paris. 

Q: Why did you re-join FERRANDI Paris as a chef-instructor?

A: Although I loved my time in South America and Australia, having spent 15 years away from home, I felt it was the right moment to come back. I am very passionate about my field and love to see new students who enjoy the art of pastry just as much as I do. 

Q: What do you think sets FERRANDI Paris apart from other schools?

A: Here, “excellence” is not just a word, we really try to do everything to the highest standards possible. Also, for the international students, I think it is nice that there is a good mix of nationalities, with students from all corners of the globe who come here to share their passion for the culinary arts. It is a French school where students can learn about French gastronomy and culture both inside the classroom and outside.

Q: What are your expectations from incoming students?

A: I am always happy to meet new students. Here, we teach students everything about pastry from scratch. It is okay if they start out not knowing much (or even not knowing anything at all!). The only thing I expect from them is a good attitude and a willingness to learn – this is not easy to teach, you have to bring it from home. 

Q: What makes a good pastry chef?

A: Pastry is an exact precision. You need to be attentive to what you are doing. But it’s not only that. As I said before, you have to be passionate. Being a pastry chef is not like your usual 9-5 job. You don’t simply clock out after your shift, it is a state of mind. It is like being a guitar player, an artist. People consider you and your art as one. 

Q: What is your favourite dessert?

A: Millefeuille. It is a classic. I think it is very representative of French pastry. The balance between the pastry cream and the puff pastry makes it one of the most iconic desserts in the world. 

Q: What skills are developed in the Intensive Professional Program in French Pastry?

A: The first weeks are dedicated to learning all of the bases of pastry, both in terms of recipes and techniques. From there, we move onto more advanced creations. We go beyond pastry and teach the students about other products and disciplines such as chocolate, ice cream and bread baking. Another particularity of our program is that we help students develop their creativity skills, these are all important skills for this field and when they all come together to create a finished product, the results are magnificent.

Q: Do you think your teaching style has been influenced by your international experiences?

A: I think it is great to work with different cultures. You will find that it makes it more interesting, especially when students want to use ingredients that are from their culture and remind them of home. It is great to compare the different cuisines from different cultures to see what they all have in common and what makes each one unique.

If you want to learn more about our Intensive Professional Program in French Pastry, feel free to reach us at ferrandi-international@ferrandi-paris.fr 
 

Whether you are a food enthusiast or an aspiring chef, our amazing Dijon Team is ready to help you in getting to that next level!

If you have any questions about our international programs in Dijon, reach us at : ferrandi-international@ferrandi-paris.fr