Le Cordon Bleu announces annual Julia Child Scholarship

Culinary and hospitality school Le Cordon Bleu has launched the second edition of its Julia Child Scholarship, worth over £40,000, which provides extensive training alongside guidance from the school’s alumni.

One of Le Cordon Bleu’s most esteemed alumni, Julia Child, is renowned for changing career and becoming a pioneer of French food and home cooking. Over her career as a cooking teacher, author and advocate, which spanned more than fifty years, Child became a beloved culinary icon.

The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts was created by Julia Child in 1995 and became operational in 2004, with the ambition to honour and further Child’s legacy.

Taking place over 12 months and worth over £40,000, the scholarship, which launched in 2018, includes a place on Le Cordon Bleu’s Diplôme de Pâtisserie, recognised globally as one of the most respected culinary qualifications in pastry and baking; a three month Le Cordon Bleu Diploma in Culinary Management; an internship at the iconic Savoy Hotel; and luxury accommodation in the centre of the capital provided by Londonist for the duration of the programme.

Le Cordon Bleu has joined forces with some of its notable alumni, including Luiz Hara; Georgia Green; Dhruv Mittal and Evelina Ogorzalek, to provide additional mentorship to the winner.

The winner will also receive an exclusive prize from Churchill, the leading manufacturer of innovative tableware, as well as a 12-month membership with The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and tickets to The Business Show.

The second and third-place runners-up will receive high-performance Zwilling Diplôme knives.

The prize will be presented to the winner by esteemed Le Cordon Bleu alumna, Mary Berry.

With a turnover of around £25 billion, the food and drink industry in the UK continues to attract entrepreneurs.  According to Cordon Bleu, the food sector has increased by 89% between 2000 and 2017, in contrast to the economy as a whole which has increased by 86%.

Le Cordon Bleu’s culinary art director, Emil Minev, said: “As an institute with a rich heritage spanning over 120 years, Le Cordon Bleu has a long-standing reputation of training the finest chefs and most innovative Food Entrepreneurs in the world. This year’s Scholarship will showcase this and offers a unique platform for those with exciting food business ideas.”

Prospective applicants can find further information and apply here.