I realized I always wanted to be in the kitchen with my mom, but not necessarily watch her cook, but rather have her move aside and let me do the cooking. That's really when I realized that this is what I want to do, this is what I want my life to be about.

The people here are incredible! Obviously there is the learning experience, but also the ability to meet people from around the world and hear about what food means to them.

I love the way wine brings people together, provides an opportunity to set aside their work, and simply pause and enjoy life. Since graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, I've founded my own business based in San Francisco, En Pointe Wines. I hope I can encourage others to view wine not as something to be collected or critiqued, but as something that can help bring us together, celebrate the diversity in the world, and bring us all joy.

A Hong Kong Native, Ambrose Chiang earned his Bachelor in Business Administration in Intl Restaurant Management from Le Cordon Bleu Sydney. He went on to earn a Level 4 Diploma from the WSET. He was Head Sommelier at Momofuku in Sydney before moving to New York as Beverage Director at Ko.

A native of Singapore, Nicholas Tang was so inspired by his Grandmother’s cooking that after serving in the military and attending university, he fulfilled his dream of becoming a chef by attending Le Cordon Bleu where he earned the Grand Diplome. He worked as a pastry cook for Marcus Wareing in London before returning to Singapore where he got his start at db bistro moderne. He later transferred to New York where he was appointed Executive Chef of DBGB, a post he now holds in DC. "I like letting ingredients tell the story of the dish. Like who the farmer was, and why he is growing this produce. By showing the ingredients the respect they deserve they will make the dish stand out."

I applied to Le Cordon Bleu Japan to pick up the skills necessary to make it as a professional chef. The shared goal of my family and myself is to eventually inherit, operate, and expand the operations of our family restaurant business. Everything I learned at the school, I can apply to the business; they are skills that high level professionals employ.

I realised I wanted to be part of the food industry when I discovered the beauty of making homemade marshmallows. It was mesmerising to see that my own two hands were able to create such a technical candy. Personally I see art in every form. Art has played an important role in my life and food is a way that I can express myself instead in paper form. I see my life heading towards the food industry because I am passionate about food and I want my life to revolve around it so that I can proudly say that I love my job and all it offers.

I attended the Grand Diplôme at Cordon Bleu in Paris in 2009, and six years ago I opened with my sister Le P'tit Café, in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro. The teachers are excellent and teach us not only to cook, but also how to behave in the kitchen, to have respect for the chefs, to be organized and clean, which are fundamental in this profession. We learn to select the best ingredients, we do tours in local fairs and also in the big markets of Paris. That's where I discovered my passion for pâtisserie and I still create new recipes based on the Cordon Bleu knowledge. For three years, we are indicated by Veja magazine as one of the best coffee shops in the city.

Although almost 27 years later, I remember every moment since my first day at Cordon Bleu Paris. It was almost a year and a half of permanence, between the three stages of kitchen and another four months like assistant of the chefs. All that I have achieved until today was the result of my learning in the institution. I became one of the first female chefs in my country and was the first woman chef to compete in the Toque d'or, which selects Brazilian candidates for Bocuse d'or. I was also the first student to be invited to teach at the school and, as a former student, I opened and trained in about 50 establishments, between hotels and restaurants in Brazil and abroad.

Emily earned a degree in Chemistry from Transylvania University in Pennsylvania before earning her Grand Diplome from Le Cordon Bleu in New Zealand. After several years as a pastry chef for many award-winning restaurants she has married her chemistry background with her culinary training. "The design of the program taught me not only how to cook food, but how to develop and analyse flavours and textures within the food. It is so much more than just learning to follow a recipe or watching Chef explain a technique- it is a deeper understanding of why we use that technique and how changes in the method can influence the sensory qualities of the final product (for better or for worse)."

Hannalee attended Quinnipiac University on a Division 1 basketball scholarship, where she studied Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management before earning a Patisserie Diploma from Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa. While a student in Ottawa she won the national gold medal in the Skills Canada Pastry Competition. Before opening her own bakery, One House Bakery, she worked for Bouchon Bakery.

You’ve got the teachers. You’ve got the different students from different cultures. Everything you would ever want when learning is in this school.