Newsletter May
The 12th Alliance promotion has arrived at Institut Paul Bocuse
On Monday, May 2nd, 48 international students coming from 12 members
schools of the Worldwide Alliance arrived at Chateau du Vivier, Ecully
(France). 14 different nationalities gathered by a common passion and
sharing the same objective: discovering the French gastronomic know-how.
Ambassadors of their own culture, these top students
selected by their universities will spend 3 months at
Institut Paul Bocuse. During their stay, they will learn
new culinary techniques, improve their skills, and
experience an incredible human adventure. This
yearly intensive immersion will enable them to meet
people from all over the world, create bonds between
each other, and showcase their culinary culture.
Transmission and team work will be at the heart of
the international experience.
The 14-weeks program will combine both practical and theoretical lessons,
demonstrations, visits and tastings, and meetings. Among the major events,
Alliance students will manage the restaurant of the Research Center. They will
also get the opportunity to discover deeply the city of Lyon – recently awarded
World Capital of Gastronomy – and its surroundings.
The journey has begun: new faces, new
names, new cultures, new friends, 48
persons from all around the world. I bet
we are going to have a great time here.
I am Andrea, from México and I am really
th
happy to be part of this 12 Alliance
promotion. Being here is a great personal
challenge and a really big opportunity
because I know we are at the best culinary
school in the world. That is why I want to
improve my skills and discover new things
each day.
I also want to learn about the culture of
the 14 countries that form this 2016
program, and share mine with the rest of
them. I am sure that 3 months won’t be
enough, but I know that the experience
will be unforgettable.
Andrea Peña Maciel
Warm welcome to them!
A little bit about me, I am 20 years old and food is my passion. I know this sound so typical but when I say
this it is not a joke. I am a very stubborn person and few things capture my interest and attention, but when
it comes to food I am all ears, I love understanding food and basically just knowing everything about it so
that I can create dishes from this knowledge. I have big ambition and my only desire is to be the best. Good
isn’t good enough. And this is why I am so happy and fortunate to be here for a few months so that I can
learn from the best.
I am currently in a small town called Ecully which is just outside the incredible Lyon, France. The home to
French gastronomy. It is crazy! I have been waiting 3 years for this and I am finally here, finally learning
from the best and it literally could not be better. I am currently writing this in my dorm room at ‘Le Clipper’
and the feeling is just completely different, maybe because there are so many awesome different cultures
that I am sharing this experience with, maybe because I am living my dream or maybe it is a mix of both. I
think both!
Ok so, coming here obviously having massive expectations, being very nervous because let’s be honest, how
could I not be? This is the best institute in the world. I have been here for 3 weeks now and how has it
blown my expectations out of the roof. I still cannot believe how much I am learning not only from the
Michelin level lecturers, I am also learning from the 14 different countries which are part of the alliance
program.
A little bit about the environment, as I mentioned, there are 14 different countries that are present for this
alliance program so you would think that with all these different cultures there would be major clashes but
it is so far from that! Everyone is getting along so well and it is so warming. It just shows how everyone is
very understanding towards each other and I also think that we are so extremely lucky to have such an
awesome group of people.
So as you have probably gained from this text, things couldn’t be better!
Braam Beyers