A Le Cordon Bleu alumna, Gladys Gros opens her heart and shares her culinary journey with great emotion. From her beginnings in 1993 to the founding of her own school, her story is marked by passion, perseverance, and a deep love for gastronomy. She reflects on her student days, the chefs who left a lasting impression, and the lessons she continues to apply to this day.

Could you tell us in which year you began your studies at Le Cordon Bleu and which diploma did you complete?
I began my studies at Le Cordon Bleu in 1993, where I completed the Cuisine et de Pâtisserie diploma, which had a profound impact on both my professional and personal life.


What memories do you keep from your time as a student?
I have the best memories. It was a time filled with inspiration and top-level instruction that I still apply in everything I do today. Although I was already older and in a different stage of life when I took this course, I felt equally happy to be fulfilling a dream and learning haute cuisine techniques at the best culinary school in the world.


Were there any teachers or classes that particularly left an impression on you?
Yes, several teachers left a lasting impression on me. Even after all these years, I still fondly remember Jean Claude Bocuheret and Patrick Terrien, both for their technique and their passion.


What path did you take after completing your diploma?
After graduating, I continued learning and constantly researching. I was always discovering something new that caught my interest and applied it, because I believe that’s the best way to learn. Later on, I began to travel to bring fresh ideas, and after some time, I opened my own school: “Cocina Privada de Gladys Gros.”


Have you kept in touch with any former classmates or teachers?
Yes, I’ve kept in touch with some of them. It’s always nice to share experiences and see how each person has followed their own path.


Have you had the chance to return to the school since you graduated? If so, how was the experience?
I had the opportunity to return after many years, and it was a very emotional experience. Seeing everything from a new perspective, with the maturity of time and the journey I had traveled, was truly special.


Do you have a funny or touching anecdote from your time at the school that you would like to share?
Yes, the story of the chef and the “danced” sauce is one I always tell. I remember a time when a chef asked me to make a sauce, and instead of preparing it, I started dancing salsa —a lively Caribbean-American music with funny moves! It made the chef laugh, and in the end, he approved my sauce… in both senses of the word!


If you could relive one day of your studies, which one would you choose and why?
I would choose one of those days when everything just went right —when the kitchen was filled with aromas and laughter, and you felt completely in your element. Those days when you realize you are exactly where you're meant to be.


What advice would you give to current or future students?
I would tell them to never stop researching, learning, and trying new things. Passion is nourished by curiosity, and it has nothing to do with age. Above all, work with love —because love builds up over time… so much so that one day it can turn into a great mass of experience and emotion, like the one I carried with me until my beloved husband Federico left this earth and rose, with a thread of honey, to be with the Lord.
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