130 years of
Le Cordon Bleu
Laurence & Adina Forcione

To mark the 130th anniversary of Le Cordon Bleu institute, discover the inspiring journey of Laurence, a former student, and his wife, Adina, whom he met during his studies in Paris.

I am an American entrepreneur, known for founding 1stdibs.com, the leading internet marketplace for antique furniture. After selling my business, I traveled the world with my wife, Adina, sharing a passion for gastronomy. My mother, Varena Forcione, studied at Le Cordon Bleu over 50 years ago, around the same time as Julia Child. During our travels, we visited exceptional restaurants and stopped in Paris to see my mother. There, we joined a Le Cordon Bleu bakery workshop on a whim, expecting a fun experience but nothing more. Instead, we were captivated by the school’s vibrant atmosphere, state-of-the-art facilities, and passionate young chefs. Inspired, we enrolled in an intensive cooking course—an experience that changed our lives. Driven by our newfound passion, we shifted careers and opened our own restaurant in the South of Spain: Foodisiac Sotogrande.

The intensive classes were quite demanding and required a full commitment from us. Tired or not, we had to learn how to manage our time and how to deliver at the highest level no matter what, especially during the practical sessions. Working under pressure is a fundamental part of operating a kitchen and it prepared us for what we were to experience daily in our own restaurant.

We both share excellent memories with the chefs that accompanied us through the cursus, Chefs Olivier Guyon, Patrick Caals, Marc Vaca, etc… all left a great impression and were masters at sharing their knowledge of Haute-Cuisine. We were very fortunate to have a couple of courses with Chef Eric Briffard during which he demonstrated his love of sharing his knowledge and his indulgence for the young chefs we were. He made everything look so easy, however, every movement resulted from years of experience working at the highest level of the gastronomy work.

It is an honor to be part of this family which embodies the highest and noblest values of the world of gastronomy. No doubt, that as it did for us, it has helped many students to make their dreams a reality.

The Cordon Bleu focuses on teaching traditional of French gastronomy, along with sharing the extraordinary experience of well-seasoned chefs who have worked themselves in some of the best houses around the world. 

The alumni network is active in providing support to its members. That is not something we expected and it is comforting to feel supported in our endeavours.

Enjoy every moment, while it may seem difficult during the moment, you will look back at these times with nostalgia and pride.

How would you like to see Le Cordon Bleu evolve over the next 130 years?
Keep on bringing the traditions and values of the Le Cordon Bleu to as many future young chefs around the world as possible by developing programs for those who do not have the means to join the program today.

We wish the Cordon Bleu to continue to inspire so many people around the world for many more years.