Pastry Schools in France - Cordon Bleu vs. Ferrandi vs. ENSP

[feebs]

I'm planning to attend pastry school in France at the end of this year but there are so many to choose from. After some research, I've narrowed it down to three schools:

1) Le Cordon Bleu

2) ESCF (Ecole Superieure de Cuisine Francaise) - Ferrandi

3) ENSP (Ecole Nationale Superieure de la Patisserie - in Yssingeaux)

Are there any recent grads from the pastry arts programs above who can share how their experiences were and if they know how the schools compare against each other (eg. strength of teachers, curriculum, practical vs. theoretical time, reputation, intership opportunities, etc.)

(I did look into Lenotre but my french is not strong and the program requires a significant upfront deposit with the application which I'm not too keen on.)

Thanks

[LindaK]

Hi, and welcome to the forums!

There's some detailed information about Ferrandi in this topic, though discussion isn't limited to the pastry program: ESCF Ferrandi culinary school

[feebs]

Thanks Linda. Hoping to speak to someone who attended the program recently so I've entered that forum as well.

Would love to hear from Le Cordon Bleu (in Paris or wherever!) or ENSP (Alain Ducasse's school) grads so I can make a more informed decision. It's so hard, all of these schools look great.

[prasantrin]

Ask the schools to put you in contact with recent alum. They may direct you to people with the most positive experiences, but if you ask the right questions, you should be able to get a good all-round view of the school.