ALMA and École Ducasse create a unique training open to all on the fundamentals of French and Italian pastry-making

ALMA and École Ducasse are combining their pastry expertise to offer a unique program for students wishing to learn the emblematic and fundamental techniques of the world’s two most famous pastry-making nations.

The first class of this distinctive two-month program will start on June 5, 2023. The first month of the Pastry Arts diploma will be taught in Yssingeaux, France at the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie, the leading French pastry school in the École Ducasse network, followed by one month at ALMA, the leading Italian culinary arts school, dedicated to Italian gastronomy and hospitality.

This unique program will offer an immersion in the world of pastry through two countries unanimously acclaimed for their expertise in the pastry arts. Students will receive a joint degree from these two internationally renowned institutions.

This Pastry Arts diploma is an intensive program specially designed for students who wish to learn the basics of French and Italian pastry. Among many other subjects, students will learn about the classics of bread and viennoiseries, chocolate and confectionery, new trends in healthier pastry, artistic pieces, Italian ice cream and the creation of restaurant desserts.

In both schools, students will learn in small groups in a personalized and interactive manner. Ninety per cent of the students’ skill acquisition is done through hands-on learning workshops, which can be complemented by masterclasses given by renowned French and Italian chefs. Students will also benefit from state-of-the-art equipment, thus learning to work in a professional and contemporary environment. Finally, this very first class will have Luc Debove, Executive Pastry Chef, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and World Champion of Ice Cream as its French sponsor, while the Italian instructors will include Davide Comaschi, World Chocolate Master and Master of Art and Craft (MAM), an award given to the best Italian pastry chefs.

Matteo Berti, Educational Director, ALMA said: “We are delighted to be able to collaborate with École Ducasse in the development of a program that is unique in the world, bringing together the best of Italian and French expertise. This can only be a source of inspiration for all.”

Luc Debove, Executive Pastry Chef at École Ducasse and patron of the course, said: “During this two-month program, students will be able to acquire the subtleties of this profession on both a technical and artistic level.”