New Innovation and 120-Year-Old Tradition
It's a week of championing the traditional, as EP spent an evening celebrating Le Cordon Bleus 120th anniversary at an inspired event held at the flagship property in Londons Bloomsbury Square.The event was designed as an exhibition of the evolution of gastronomy, and was organised to showcase the best examples of what the chefs at Le Cordon Bleu have created over the last 120 years. The exhibition began in 1895 with terrines, tarts and jellies, through the 20th century with the coronation chicken especially created for Elizabeth II in January 1953, which was served to 350 people as part of the Coronation Day banquet in The Great Hall of Westminster School. They were followed on the day with strawberry gallettes topped with miniature edible crowns.More recent concepts included examples of molecular gastronomy, including a clear tomato jelly and tomato pearls, followed by a variety of beautiful Asian-inspired canapés including Thai tom yum soup and pork gyozas. The celebration concluded Champagne reception during which guests were addressed by Culinary Arts Director Alan Swinson, and President of Le Cordon Bleu André Cointreau, and were impressed by a five-foot cake representing all aspects of Le Cordon Bleu. Displaying the various aspects of the school's history gave a vivid impression of the extent to which techniques have adapted over the years, how they've embraced technology and innovation while remaining true to the ethos.The ethos of Le Cordon Bleu was evident throughout, which is that it is
technique which is held above all else in teaching and training. If the technique is there, there is little need for a recipe, and it is this approach that allows the school to create world-class chefs over and over, and cements its reputation as the best in the world.
For more information on how EP works with chefs please contact Amy Lainchbury