Justine grew up in a family of passionate restaurateurs in the West of France. At a very young age, her parents passed on to her the pleasure of entertaining and preparing delicious meals with vegetables from their garden.

After an economic and social baccalaureate, she naturally turned to cooking by joining a BTS in hotel and restaurant business at La Rochelle. Following her studies, Justine was recruited in the Parisian palace Le Bristol, where she learned rigor, brigade work and French cuisine for a year and a half. She then joined the one Michelin-star Park Hyatt Place Vendôme, and three years later she joined two Michelin-starred Chef Sylvestre Wahid. She quickly gained his trust and that of her team and became Deputy Chef after a year.

Justine is recognizable by her generous cuisine, full of sensitivity and technicality. Unwaveringly curious, Justine draws her creativity from her encounters and training with the most talented chefs and through her travels. What matters most to her is user-friendliness; “I'm sensitive and I like simple things - to please, to make everyone happy, to warm hearts and to share a moment of conviviality around a large table."

Now, Justine brings her talent, curiosity and warth to the table at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu, preparing beautiful dishes for guests in the fine dining restaurant on Fleet Street.

Meet Michael Kwan, the Executive Pastry Chef at The Dorchester, London's iconic landmark hotel. With a culinary journey that commenced at age 15 in Hong Kong kitchens, Michael has garnered extensive experience from prestigious establishments such as Harrods, Hotel Café Royal, Ladurée, Hakkasan, and The Fat Duck.

At The Dorchester, Michael leads the 26 people pastry team, overseeing the signature afternoon tea at The Promenade, Cakes and Flower Shop, Par Café, and all luxury rooms. His artisanship extends to creating exquisite pastries and desserts for weddings, parties, and events throughout the property.

Fusing precision and creativity, Michael defines pastry as a harmonious blend of science and art. His accolades include the title of UK Sugar Champion in 2019, European Cup Champion in 2022. Currently serving as the UK Pastry Team President, he leads the team in preparations for the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie 2025.

Tom’s culinary career began at the age of 15, working at Le Talbooth, Dedham. Tom has since worked under a number of leading chefs including Alyn Williams, Andy McFadden and Ollie Dabbous. His experience culminated in a position as head chef at Alyn Williams at The Westbury where he designed innovative menus and subsequently earnt himself a coveted Acorn Award. Tom joined The Dorchester as head chef of The Grill in 2019, where alongside numerous awards for restaurant, Tom has won a number of awards voted for by industry professionals. Tom regularly takes part in chef residencies around the country including taking The Grill by Tom Booton to Royal Ascot for the past three years.

2023 saw the start of Tom’s next chapter at The Dorchester with The Grill being renamed, The Grill by Tom Booton. To mark the relaunch, Tom has crafted a dynamic new menu featuring only the best ingredients, sourced locally and cooked with flair by him and his outstanding team, unified in their passion for making diners feel at home. The fresh and innovative culinary and service style transcends the legendary setting, with an upbeat and informal atmosphere curated by Tom himself. Tom’s cheeky personality shines through the menu, with modern twists on British home cooking classics.

Karim Bourgi is an artisan pastry chef based in Dubai since 2011. Chef Bourgi is the founder of KAYU, CALLA & OPPA. He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Paris in 1999 and trained in the finest establishments in Paris.

A member of Les Toques Blanches Du Monde, International Cheese Guild member, brand ambassador for Valrhona and Elle & Vire France. Chef Bourgi always looking for unique and delicious creations to reach excellence. His desserts and creations have earned him the acclaim of more than half million of followers on his social networks. Currently, he is active as a private consultant and instructs Pastry Masterclasses all over the world, in addition to owning his brands KAYU, CALLA & OPPA.

A forward thinking, classically trained Executive Chef who champions the use of seasonal, sustainable Best of British produce. His culinary journey has seen him in some of the most prestigious kitchens across the UK and Australia, most recently the award winning, Galvin at Windows.

Working closely with Chris and Jeff Galvin, Marc brought a fun but refined collection of menus. “Bold flavoured dishes…offer a pleasing degree of flair and innovation” - The Michelin Guide.

Hardiman cut his teeth at the esteemed Castle House, hailed as the Best Restaurant in the Country. From there, he found himself fortunate enough to become a Gordon Ramsey scholar, before continuing his career in multi-rosette and starred establishments, such as Bovey Castle and The Ritz, to boot.

Not one to rest on his laurels, he headed to Australia for inspiration working at one and three hat restaurants, such as The Royal Mail. On returning to the UK, he took over the iconic Great Fosters Hotel, using produce straight from the garden and their resident pigs. Despite the restaurants winning 4 Rosettes and 1 Michelin star all in the same year, Hardiman has never chased accolades, rather believing the barometer of success to be “a full restaurant with happy staff and guests”.

Schooled in the kitchen, Marc tries to pay it forward when possible, teaching the next generation of chefs through various formats. In fact, even when lockdown stopped face to face education, Hardiman was holding zoom sessions to keep the momentum for those wanting to learn. A humble, out-of-the-box thinker, Marc enjoys challenging staff in his own team and has been known to “hand them the menu” for a holistic training experience.

Paris-born Chef Stephane Gliniewicz was propelled by a lifelong love of bread and started his boulangerie training at the 5* Hotel Plaza Athénée on Avenue Montaigne, Paris. Here Stephane was trained by celebrity pastry chef Christophe Michalak (winner of The Pastry World Cup, 2005) and prolific 3 Michelin-starred Head Chef Alain Ducasse. Meanwhile, Stephane also worked towards his 4-year Bachelors in Bakery qualification, which he received with honours from Ferrandi school in 2007.

After completing his studies, Chef Stephane moved to London and gained a position at the 2 Michelin-starred Hélène Darroze at The Connaught. Chef Stephane was trained by Head Baker Yohan Ferrant, whom he found to be a great inspiration. In 2009, he went to accompany Chef Yohan to Spain where Stephane would be Sous Chef for two bakeries and help to open another two. Once this project was complete, Chef Stephane returned to London and took his first Head Baker position at the 5* Pennyhill Park Hotel, Surrey.

Chef Stephane held further Head Baker positions in Paris and Dubai, then in 2012 was tasked to open the new 5* hotel Cafe Royal on Regent Street with Executive Pastry Chef, Simon Jenkins. He was part of the team that created more than 20 unique new Danish pastries including the ‘pecan treacle’, ‘lemon crumble brioche’ and ‘the unique raspberry croissant’. He also oversaw the hotel’s bread production and created the bread menu for the 2 Michelin-starred restaurant, Alex Dilling.

In 2014, Chef Stephane opened the new members club Pavillion on Kensington High Street with Chef Adam Simmonds. From here, he moved to 5 Hertford Street, Mayfair, as Head Baker, reviewed as London’s best private members club in London.

Chef Stephane joined Le Cordon Bleu in 2017.

Chef Douglas Bond Mollitt holds the dual role of Chef Lecturer and Production Head Baker at Le Cordon Bleu London.

Chef Douglas has worked across many renowned restaurants across Montreal, France and London. His career in London began at the 5* hotel, Café Royal, where he was responsible for the tourier requirements and regularly developed new danishes and veinnoiseries. He then moved to the Dorchester Hotel as Chef de Partie, producing a variety of breads for the prestigious hotel. Shortly after, he became Chef de Partie for Harrods, London, overseeing the production of all sourdough breads, bespoke bakery items and pastry products for the leading luxury department store.

Most recently, Chef Douglas worked at Phillipe Conticini in London, helping them to open their first store after COVID and running three of their bakery production sites for their London stores. As Head Baker, he oversaw all tourier production and managed the product development of sourdoughs, brioches and other seasonal items. He also created their bakery menus, from their famous croissants to their new savoury ranges.

Chef Douglas joined Le Cordon Bleu London in 2022.

Mexican-born Adriana grew up between Mexico City in Azcapotzalco town and Tlaxcala State in a small village called San Felipe Ixtacuixtla where food is an integral part of day-to-day life - fresh produce such as corn, tomatoes and avocados are staples of the region.

Brought into this world of food from a young age - Adriana was inspired to enter the industry by her Grandma who owned a street food business selling Antojitos Mexicanos - quesadillas, huaraches, tacos and tamales, she also worked in restaurants around the city too, earning money to raise her eight children. Adriana’s first real memory in the kitchen is with her Grandma, milling nixtamal (soaked corn solution) and playing with the corn dough, cooking mini quesadillas and gorditas.

Her first role in cookery came at the age of 17 as an apprentice at Nicos in Mexico City. Here, she honed her skills on the bakery section before moving on to her first full-time paid job at Pujol - currently ranked at #9 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants - at just 19. Adriana’s commitment and skill pushed her to apply for roles in the best restaurants in Mexico - alongside Ferran Adria as Chef de Partie at El Bulli in 2011 and later with Eduardo Garcia at Lalo!. These restaurants are famed for their ongoing revolutionary approach to Mexican cooking, which Adriana cites as key in shaping her approach to food.

Adriana studied gastronomy at the Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana whilst cooking in the evenings, but it was learning about Mexico’s food history that set her on the path she follows today, cooking over charcoal, using the ingredients of Mexico in their rawest form. To extend her knowledge, Adriana travelled away from the city; it was on this journey that she met the mother of NY based Mexican chef Ovidio Pérez Amaya, Juanita Amaya Hernández. She stayed with her for six months, learning much about the cooking of small towns. From that starting point she travelled to many more small towns around Mexico and learnt their food traditions, experienced the fire and the smell of wood in the small towns, on the coast, in the mountains, where people cook barbacoa, cook agaves for mezcal and tequila, and when they make cochinita. Adriana says “Fire and charcoal give a unique flavour, it takes practice to speak with the fire and understand the skill behind these ancient techniques.”

Adriana moved to the UK to work as Head Chef at Peyotito in London and Ibiza but has long dreamt of opening her own restaurant that serves Mexican food cooked in the traditional way, with the best ingredients. Adriana completed a residency on the rooftop of The Dorchester in June 2021, introducing her food to the capital. Adriana’s debut restaurant Cavita opened in May 2022 to a host of outstanding reviews including The Financial Times, The Evening Standard and The Independent.