Holy moly - how have I already been in Paris for 3 weeks? I hope everyone is well reading this, and I’m beyond glad to be typing away at another update with my severely dry, knicked, and sore hands instead of cooking with them. And you all know how much I love these hands😔
With 9 days and nearly 78 hours of class under my belt, I am officially halfway through my Basic Certificate in Patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu🥳 Going into the final 2-week stretch before my exam and a week of break, I’ve finally found my footing at the school and in Paris - by trial and error. However, since this email will be covering my very first moments as a LCB student, I have to keep it real: I was a MESS.
For starters, switching to the pastry program from cuisine was ~bittersweet~. As far as I can tell, being in the Cuisine program is Hell’s Kitchen for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, while the pastry is a whole lot more Great British Baking Show. However, my last ditch effort to jump ship from Cuisine caused me to miss the very first day of my new program: the orientation. There, my peers got the lay of the land. Always have your uniform ironed. Always have your hair in a net. When the chef talks, reply “Oui Chef.” There will be a written exam on the theory of milk, eggs, flour, etc.. They also received a binder with all of the recipes, access to the online demonstrations, and a thorough list of every little offset spatula and cookie cutter you had to scour all of Paris for to be adequately prepared for our first “practical” class the very next day.
Now picture me, waddling into our first practical, wearing an unkempt uniform, long, brown hair flowing, no recipe, no equipment (except for my cuisine knife kit), and no understanding of French once so ever - in which all instructions (and insults) would be hurled at me. And, of course, wearing a huge grin on my face.
“I could not care less if my cookies blew up in the oven or if more cream ended up on my uniform than in the actual pastry.” At least, that’s what I told myself. Even with these first setbacks, a tiny (but very real) part of my brain expected me to be some kind of a pastry prodigy. In this Chloe Dream World, I would leave jaws on the floor with my effortless technique and God-given talent, a Food Network hosting gig waiting for me at the end of my diploma. However, the first week was the reality check I didn’t know I needed. This whole scenario, living in Paris and doing what I love, is a dream come true in its own right. I’ve always been a perfectionist (to a fault), but I’m here to embrace the failure and challenge myself in brand new ways: language barriers, high-intensity cheffing, etc.. After all, I can’t always have my cake and eat it too.
WHAT’S COOKIN? week 1
Diamants
Sablés pochés
Cake aux fruits
Madelines au citron
Gâteau Basque
Écriture au cornet
Pâte brisée pour fonçage et rose en pâte d’amandes
Tarte aux pommes
My (limited) time ~outside~ of school
While I may not be perfect, Paris most certainly is. The more afternoon’s I take to wander aimlessly through the cobblestone streets, the more I fall in love. Feel free to reach out to me with any sightseeing recommendations/hidden gem areas!🌟
Apparently, something else covered on the first day was LCB’s strict youtakethisrecipetoyourgrave policy. Sadly, I won’t be able to delve into more detail on these tasty creations, but I can’t wait to start my own private culinary tutoring service with all this knowledge when I return😎
Oh Chloe this is so incredible!!!! love seeing your progress!