Bellouet Conseil - Perhaps The Worlds Best Cooking School For Pastry Chefs

I have studied in Paris many times now.

I have also studied at the Bellouet Conseil before.

But this year I appreciated it more than ever.

Perhaps it was my mood, perhaps it was the "spring of discontent" at home, that made anywhere but the Middle East seem so much more inviting than ever before. But it was really an amazing time. More amazing than usual.

Many people wonder why I still return to Paris to school myself in pastry, after a 30 year career in the business.

The reason , simple; I believe you can never know enough?

Those who believe that after 30 years that they are the best, well, I wish them all the best.

For me, I see that in the everyday existence in our kitchens, while we push ourselves to try and do the best, occasionally we also do certain things out of speed and necessity, rather than because it’s the right way to do something.

My schooling is not about new recipes.

I have enough of those already, thanks

What it is about is skill, memory and reminding myself of the little details that you tend to forget or dismiss, throughout a busy work day, week, month and year,  which can truly make all the difference to an end product.

Thankfully too, yes, there are new recipes, new skills and new concepts and ideas which come up in this industry all the time.

Another reason I go is to remind myself of something few people ever have the courtesy to tell others.

I remind myself that,"I’m not doing a bad job!"

I have said it for many years , but will repeat it once again.

Being French - does not mean that you are the best at everything.

When I was young I was told being a pastry chef was a waste of time. Australia had no need for local pastry chefs. If the country needed Pastry chefs or Patissier’s then they would import them from France.

Fair enough. That was then and this is now.

It is nice to go and work among French pastry chefs to see how brilliant 'some' are, and just like ever other country on earth, how bad some are as well.

In the category of the best and most amazing, let me return to the subject of Bellouet Conseil. While I have been to other schools, I return here for two reasons. Location – its in the heart of Paris  and secondly because the amazing “professeurs” or teachers.

Jean Michel Perruchon an MOF now runs the school originally founded by Joel Bellouet, who it must be said still turns up to see the finished products at the end of the courses. Something greatly admired, that even in semi-retirement he still cares about the education of those who attend the school which bares his name.

This year I did 2 courses. Tartes Nouvelles Et Gouters with Laurent Moreno and Petits Gateaux Nouvelles Tendances with Chef Julien

Two great courses and two amazing teachers. These guys truly have raised the bar in quality and efficiency and skill level among Pastry Chefs.

All I can say, is look at some of the photos for yourself, let the quality be the true example of precision for these guys.

Bellouet Conseil on Rue Lecourbe , Paris, is the school I adore to go.

Friendly, talented and well run, and at the forefront of modern Patisserie.

Thank you to Jean Michel and his talented team for always making me feel welcome, among fellow colleagues of an amazing global industry.