Alain Ducasse inaugurates first École Ducasse campus in India

Alain Ducasse, founder of École Ducasse and the holder of 20 Michelin stars, visited India for the first time and inaugurated the first École Ducasse campus in the country. The campus is located at the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH), Gurugram which is founded by hospitality veteran Dilip Puri. Alain Ducasse’s visit will strengthen the partnership between ISH and École Ducasse, both part of Sommet Education’s global network of schools.

Alain Ducasse recognises the potential in Indian students passionate about culinary arts and his visit is an important milestone for the future of gastronomy in South Asia. India has seen phenomenal growth in the culinary space over the last few years. As per the Food and Beverage Services Global Market Report 2022, the global F&B services market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2% by 2026. Consumer behaviour is evolving rapidly and so is the number of students who are keen on pursuing a career in culinary and pastry arts.

Through the campus in India, École Ducasse aims to equip students with French cooking technique so that they can use it to develop and support any cuisine they wish to later in life. For Chef Ducasse, it is important that aspiring chefs learn and perfect the technique first before using their innovation and creativity to enhance the quality of their offerings, he said in a press conference held at the occasion.

Culinary programmes taught at École Ducasse in India include undergraduate degree, diploma and certificate courses. Each of these combine technical, managerial and entrepreneurial skills which enable culinary aspirants to master more than cooking. The practical, hands-on training methodology of the programmes offer food enthusiasts, career-changers and professionals the perfect platform to establish themselves in the global F&B industry. The programmes also offer students the opportunity to articulate to École Ducasse campuses in France and study semesters as well as pursue internships abroad. An education with École Ducasse makes students highly employable upon graduation and opens doors to a wide range of career opportunities in the culinary industry at a worldwide level.

École Ducasse shares the know-how of its founder Alain Ducasse, one of the most iconic chefs. He is known for his innovation, attention to detail and dedication to excellence and strong technique, while never compromising on sustainability. His desire to pass on his vision and knowledge lies at the heart of École Ducasse.

The École Ducasse ISH Gurugram campus features 75,000 sq. ft of state-of-the-art facilities including modern training kitchens, sophisticated classrooms and student experience areas. This campus marks the start of a broader rollout in India that will see the establishment of École Ducasse Studios across key cities and a second campus over the next few years. The programs offered will jointly celebrate the rich heritage of French and Indian cuisine, while echoing global trends in contemporary gastronomy and the philosophy of the institute’s founder.

Talking about his first visit to the country, Chef Alain Ducasse, Founder, École Ducasse said, “India holds one of the greatest culinary traditions in the world. The mission of our school is to give this asset the worldwide recognition it deserves. India must become one of the influential voices on the global culinary scene. We want to offer to Indian culinary aspirants, new horizons abroad as well as in India.”

Dilip Puri, Founder and CEO, Indian School of Hospitality, also shared his thoughts on the occasion, “Culinary education in India is getting its due recognition, and we’re proud to be the disruptors of this transformation. By introducing École Ducasse in India at ISH, we’re bringing the best of global education for students. Through international programs and pathways, and a state-of-the-art campus, we’re not just sharing the vision of Chef Alain Ducasse with culinary aspirants in India, but also reimagining culinary education in the region.”