Futurs Talents’ Scholarship: A Look Back at the Culinary Competition Semi-Final
On Friday 5 September, Le Cordon Bleu Paris hosted the semi-final of the 2025 Le Cordon Bleu Paris Scholarship, a landmark event for many aspiring chefs and pâtisserie enthusiasts. This year, 21 candidates from France and abroad took part in a series of challenges designed to assess their culinary knowledge, sensory abilities, and motivation to join one of the world’s most prestigious culinary schools.
The semi-final featured several key stages: a gastronomy knowledge quiz, individual interviews with the institute’s Chefs to better understand each participant’s career ambitions, as well as a blind tasting sensory challenge led by the Chef Sommelier. These moments of exchange and testing highlighted the candidates’ passion and potential, all determined to transform their culinary calling into a career of excellence.
The prizes on offer reflected the prestige of the competition:
• First Prize: a place on the Grand Diplôme with internship pathway (18 months), starting in 2026.
• Second Prize: a Basic Certificate in Cuisine or Pâtisserie.
• Third Prize: a 4-day intensive wine studies course.
The next stage will be the final on Thursday 23 October 2025, where the finalists will compete in a practical challenge combining cuisine and pâtisserie. The winners will then be announced during the 130th anniversary gala of Le Cordon Bleu, an exceptional event held at the Hôtel de la Marine in Paris.
This semi-final once again reaffirms the central role of Le Cordon Bleu Paris in training the future talents of world gastronomy, while emphasising the importance of passion, rigour, and creativity in succeeding within this demanding field.
