Le Cordon Bleu celebrate 130th anniversary with alumni event

Le Cordon Bleu London marked a historic milestone on September 12th, as the institute welcomed graduates back for its first-ever Alumni Chapter event.

Coinciding with the institute’s 130th anniversary year, the event brought together more than 100 graduates from across gastronomy, hospitality and food media.

With a target of 130 alumni guests to match the anniversary, the celebration underlined the reach of the Le Cordon Bleu network, which today spans over 35 schools in more than 20 countries.

Celebrating alumni achievement

The evening saw alumni reconnect over canapés and drinks at CORD, while also providing an opportunity to expand professional networks. A highlight of the event was the inaugural Le Cordon Bleu London Alumni Awards, voted for by alumni peers, which recognised outstanding achievement across five categories:

• Contribution to Gastronomy and Fine Dining: Woongchul Park and Bomee Ki, husband-and-wife team behind Michelin-starred Sollip in Southwark

• Contribution to Food and Media: Kerth Gumbs, head chef at Fenchurch Restaurant and television personality

• Recognition for Entrepreneurship: Charlotte O’Kelly, founder of Astrid Bakery

• Alumni Choice Award: Maciej Pisarek, demi pastry chef de partie at The Savoy and Young Chef award winner

• Le Cordon Bleu Ambassador Award: Salina Campbell, founder of Joli

A landmark year

Emil Minev, culinary arts director at Le Cordon Bleu London, said: “This was a truly special moment in our 130-year history. The Alumni Chapter event demonstrated the power of the Le Cordon Bleu network – a family of graduates who have taken their skills and creativity into kitchens, bakeries, hotels and businesses around the world. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to growing this tradition in years to come.”

The Alumni Chapter event forms part of Le Cordon Bleu’s 130th anniversary celebrations, which spotlight the institute’s global community of chefs, pâtissiers, bakers and entrepreneurs.

Training the next generation

Le Cordon Bleu London continues to train the next generation of hospitality professionals, offering diploma programmes across cuisine, pâtisserie, wine, nutrition and hospitality management. The institute also delivers a broad range of short courses, catering both to aspiring professionals and enthusiastic home cooks.

By bringing alumni together for the first time, Le Cordon Bleu London has not only marked its history but also set the stage for a growing tradition that will continue to celebrate the achievements of its graduates worldwide.