Yssingeaux/Colorno, Monday, 5 December 2022 – École Ducasse through the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie and ALMA, the leading Italian culinary arts school are combining their pastry expertise to offer a unique program for students wishing to learn the emblematic and fundamental techniques of the world’s two most famous pastry-making nations.

The first class of this distinctive two-month program will start on June 5, 2023. The first month of the Pastry Arts diploma will be taught in Yssingeaux, France at the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie, the leading French pastry school in the École Ducasse network, followed by one month at ALMA, the leading Italian culinary arts school, dedicated to Italian gastronomy and hospitality. The latter is based in Colorno, in the heart of the Food Valley at the gates of Parma and a city recognized by UNESCO for its creative gastronomy. This unique program will offer an immersion in the world of pastry through two countries unanimously acclaimed for their expertise in the pastry arts. Students will receive a joint degree from these two internationally renowned institutions.

This Pastry Arts diploma is an intensive program specially designed for students who wish to learn the basics of French and Italian pastry. Among many other subjects, students will learn about the classics of bread and viennoiseries, chocolate and confectionery, new trends in healthier pastry, artistic pieces, Italian ice cream and the creation of restaurant desserts.

In both schools, students will learn in small groups in a personalized and interactive manner. Ninety per cent of the students' skill acquisition is done through hands-on learning workshops, which can be complemented by masterclasses given by renowned French and Italian chefs. Students will also benefit from state-of-the-art equipment, thus learning to work in a professional and contemporary environment. Finally, this very first class will have Luc Debove, Executive Pastry Chef, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and World Champion of Ice Cream as its French sponsor, while the Italian instructors will include Davide Comaschi, World Chocolate Master and Master of Art and Craft (MAM), an award given to the best Italian pastry chefs.

Matteo Berti, Educational Director, ALMA said: "We are delighted to be able to collaborate with École Ducasse in the development of a program that is unique in the world, bringing together the best of Italian and French expertise. This can only be a source of inspiration for all.”

Luc Debove, Executive Pastry Chef at École Ducasse and patron of the course, said: "During this two-month program, students will be able to acquire the subtleties of this profession on both a technical and artistic level.”

About École Ducasse

École Ducasse is a network of schools founded in 1999 by multi-starred chef Alain Ducasse, dedicated to the transmission of outstanding French expertise and excellence in culinary and pastry arts.

École Ducasse runs three schools in France – Paris Studio, Paris Campus and École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie as well as international schools with – Manila Campus in the Philippines, Gurugram Campus in India and Nai Lert Bangkok Studio in Thailand. All are united by a desire to share a passion for gastronomy with seasoned professionals as well as food enthusiasts, career changers and students. This broad portfolio of programs aims to meet all training needs: from short programs for experts or food enthusiasts to intensive two-, four-or six-month programs, to three-year undergraduate programs and bachelor’s degree in culinary and pastry arts.

École Ducasse is part of Sommet Education, worldwide leader in hospitality education.

For more information: https://www.ecoleducasse.com/en

About ALMA

ALMA – The School of Culinary Arts is internationally recognized as the most important professional training center dedicated to Italian hospitality and catering.

ALMA trains not only chefs and pastry chefs, but also bakery chefs, kitchen professionals, restaurant managers, ice cream makers and pizza makers.

ALMA is based in the heart of the Food Valley, in the splendid Palazzo di Colorno: just a few kilometers from Parma, proclaimed a creative city of gastronomy by UNESCO in 2015, in recognition of its PDO and PGI heritage of culinary delights and specialties.

The courses and masters organized by ALMA are exclusively professional in nature. The quality of the courses is guaranteed by a teaching staff made up of top chefs and pastry chefs, renowned masters and master sommeliers, the greatest connoisseurs of Italian food products, and accredited experts in nutrition, food hygiene, history of cooking and the world of wine. In addition to these, every week features external speakers from Michelin-starred chefs to award-winning master pastry chefs, as well as F&B managers from important hotels and catering companies.

The tailor-made courses that ALMA organizes in Italy and abroad – both  for professional training and for corporate team-building activities – are unique. The school also stands out in Italy for the quality of its premises and teaching materials.

For further information: https://www.alma.scuolacucina.it/en/