Classic Pastry Arts with French Intensive

Now stop imagining: Our Classic Pastry Arts with French Intensive program means we teach you the fundamentals of pastry techniques in New York, but then send you on a seven-day trip to Lyon, France to bring your education alive.

Rhone wine region: You’ll tour an organic wine farm and learn about the method behind organic viticulture. And of course, you’ll have an introduction to wine tasting and taste the famous Vin de Paille dessert wine. Then, you’ll travel across several quaint medieval towns studded with majestic castles and you’ll be stunned by the panoramic views of rolling hills dotted with vineyards.

A cheese tour in Rhone Alps: You’ll taste cheese that is famous to the region such as Ferme des Jawlines, Le Bleu du Vercors, and Le Saint Marcellin. You’ll continue to the little town of Saint Marcellin, where you’ll visit another local cheese farm and taste the famous Saint Marcellin. You’ll finish your cheese tour in Pelussin, home to the cheese, “Rigotte de Condrieu.”

A trip to the famed market, Les Halles: Established in 1859, Les Halles is one of the most famous food markets in the world. You’ll roam through the 56 vendors and be able to feed your gastronomic curiosity.

Valrhona Chocolate tastings: Learn how the high-grade luxury chocolate manufacturer makes their delicate chocolates and taste the difference between handmade chocolate and the stuff you buy in the grocery store.

Day trip to Bresse and Bouvesse: First travel to the region of Bresse, where you will visit the “Buerrerie Cooperative de Foissiat-Lescheroux” and taste why their butter is so highly regarded. Then visit Moulin D’Arche, a historic mill and bakery in Bouvesse specializing in 26 types of breads and pastries, all prepared using time-honored, traditional methods. The day ends with dinner featuring regional fare at the bakery’s restaurant.

Confectionary Tour: Visit the Cruzilles company in Clermont-Ferrand and see how it produces top-quality fruit jellies, candied fruits, citrus peels, jams, and marrons glacés—all of which are natural and preservative-free—following traditional methods.

Tour local markets: Visit markets that house the local products from the Rhone Alps and other French regions. You’ll find local chefs shopping for their restaurants and vendors pushing the day’s freshest products whether it’s fish, produce, or meat. You’ll also have some time to visit Lyon’s historical center and see its Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

And what better way to end your trip, than with a farewell dinner at a Michelin starred restaurant in Lyon?

In just months, learn what other schools take years to teach

Under the watchful eyes of the accomplished chef-instructors at The International Culinary Center’s New York campus, you’ll learn the techniques to make and bake a very wide range of pastries and desserts in a small class setting. Comprehensive training that is intense, thorough, and fast is a hallmark of The International Culinary Center, and our signature Total Immersion^SM training method creates a dynamic learning environment, in which you can develop the comprehensive knowledge and craft you need for a successful career in the pastry arts in just six months of full-time study (or nine in the evening).

Make your dreams come true

Achieving the adroitness necessary to work in the pastry kitchen is no easy feat. A well-rounded pastry chef must have command over the chemistry of chocolate, know how to stretch and pull hot sugar into delicate designs, be able to proficiently achieve the perfect rise and crumb in a génoise for a light and moist cake, and so much more. Working with precision, understanding baking science and flavor principles, as well as exercising your culinary imagination, are just some of the important abilities your chef-instructors will help you develop. Our committed chef-instructors will guide you along the way so that you can gain the confidence needed to take on the challenges that will push your pastry limits.

Learn from leaders in the industry

At the heart of The International Culinary Center are the culinary icons who are our esteemed deans and master instructors, including the celebrated pastry chefs Jacques Torres and Emily Luchetti. Their experience and reputation are respected worldwide, and their exacting standards set a gold standard for excellence at the school. To ensure that our curriculum stays relevant and up-to-date, we gather ongoing feedback from a group of notable chefs who make up our Program Advisory Committee (PAC).

Learn How to Open Your Own Patisserie

Opening a bakery or patisserie isn’t always a piece of cake, which is why we’ve engineered our Classic Pastry Arts with French Intensive program to include a complimentary 7-hour class, “Opening a Pastry Shop 101,” to teach you the aspects of becoming a successful entrepreneur.

You’ve probably dreamed about what you’d sell if you ever opened your own bakery, but have you considered the type of corporate structure (sole proprietorship? Limited liability company?) you’d open your business ? Did you think about your pricing for the menu? Or the licenses or permits you’d need to stay within health-code regulations? If not, that’s where our expertise comes in. It’s a discussion that leads to a headache and usually eating a lot of cake. But we’ve built in an “Opening a Pastry Shop 101” course into our established pastry program, so that you’ll learn every aspect of opening a business and turn your dream into a reality.

Learn in a hands-on, fast-paced environment

Classic Pastry Arts with French Intensive combines both hands-on instruction and theory into one comprehensive program. Each class begins with a short lesson that covers important terminology, related food history, the hows and whys of various cooking techniques, and the key procedures you’ll employ to complete the day’s items. Before you make anything for the first time, your chef-instructors will demonstrate the proper execution method, and they’re always on hand to encourage and help you as you practice on your own.

The International Culinary Center’s curriculum covers a tremendous amount of material in a short period of time, and your chef-instructors will push you to work efficiently, precisely, and quickly from day one. At the conclusion of the program, you’ll be prepared to meet the demands of working in a professional kitchen, with the proper techniques, efficiency, organization, work habits, and attitude necessary to succeed in the real world.

Each level of the Classic Pastry Arts with French Intensive curriculum has been thoughtfully constructed to teach you the essentials of each element of pastry, as well as to give you practical techniques that you will continue to build upon as you advance through the program. Your coursework will include:

• Tarts and cookies
• Pâte à choux (éclairs, profiteroles, etc.
• Pâte feuilletée (puff pastry)
• Viennoiserie (Danish and croissant), yeast and quick breads
• Petits fours
• Cakes, including a three-tiered wedding cake
• Plated desserts served à la minute
• Chocolate desserts and confections
• Blown, pulled, and spun sugar
• Sugar paste flowers
• Pastillage
• Completion of the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certification

A grand career begins with your Grand Diplôme

The day you celebrate your graduation alongside fellow schoolmates at a special commencement ceremony at Carnegie Hall—marks the accomplishment of having obtained the expertise you need to put you on your way to a successful career, whether your ultimate goal is to cook in a four-star restaurant, open your own business, or shine at a pastry hot spot.