Le Cordon Bleu enhances culinary scene locally, abroad
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas may not have a Las Vegas Strip address, but it is directly influencing the city's culinary scene as the largest culinary educational facility in Southern Nevada. The college is actively engaged in preparing students for future careers in the growing and very dynamic culinary world, both locally and abroad. Many Cordon Bleu graduates go on to jobs at the city's finest restaurants and are also placed round-the-globe.
"Las Vegas has emerged as one of the world's culinary meccas thanks to the city's growing list of prominent restaurants and the increasing importance of fine dining within the tourism industry," said Ken Hause, president of Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas.
Among the list of local restaurants employing recent Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas graduates are Roy's Restaurant, DJT Restaurant at the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, Rosemary's Restaurant, Andre's, Via Brasil Steakhouse and Delmonico's Steakhouse.
"Las Vegas is not the only market vying for our graduates," Hause said. "We're placing students throughout the world. We currently have students working in Korea, the Philippines, Guatemala and Spain."
Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas is housed in a 60,000-square-foot facility with 10 demonstration/teaching kitchens where students are taught to master 450 culinary techniques. The college, which opened its Summerlin campus in 2003, now boasts a current enrollment of more than 500 students with graduates now numbering more than 1,900.
"Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas is an exciting place -- always full of activity, from the baking and patisserie kitchens to garde manger, butchering and beyond," said Hause.
Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas also has a fine dining student-run restaurant, Café Bleu, where the public can dine on fine food at a fraction of the price one would pay on the Las Vegas Strip. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday for both lunch and dinner.
The menu features world cuisine with emphasis on American, French and Italian dishes. Average prices are $7 for a lunch entrée or $15 for a dinner entrée. A variety of appetizers and desserts is also available. The menu varies slightly as students rotate through the curriculum.
Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas also offers bimonthly community cooking classes that are open to the public. Classes cover a variety of topics such as holiday baking, wine country cooking, American comfort foods, chocolate treats and more. Prices vary per class. For more information on attending an upcoming community cooking class, call 365-7690.
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas is an affiliate of Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, one of the largest providers of quality culinary arts education. Few institutions possess the distinguished reputation of Le Cordon Bleu, the renowned cooking school with Parisian roots dating back to 1895.
Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas is accredited by the American Culinary Federation and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. For more information, visit www.chefs.edu/las-vegas.
More Cooking Classes
At Cafe Ba Ba Reeba! at the Fashion Show mall, groups can learn how to prepare paella, the classic Spanish dish. The class is offered on a Saturday morning and is followed by lunch with wines and sherries.
Master sushi chef of Loews Hotels, Chef Osamu "Fuji" Fujita conducts sushi classes every second Saturday of every month at 3 p.m. inside Marssa restaurant at Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort. The two-hour sushi and sake clinic is designed to educate participants about traditional Tokyo and Osaka-style Japanese cuisine in a fun, hands-on environment.
