IACP and LeCordon Bleu

IACP 2007 Convention

Kathy Shaw, Patrick Martin, Christian Faure, Nicholas Bernarde and Yannick Anton
Chef Nicholas during his chocolate demo

The chefs with IACP attendees chocolate expert Elaine Gonzales, Author and Food Network star Shirley. Phyllis Simmons, the Cake Lady of Seattle. Chef John Montanile,myself, and one of our students
CHIC student volunteers with Andre Cointreau

Chefs from LeCordon Bleu Paris and LeCordon Bleu Ottawa converged in Chicago for the 2007 IACP Convention at the Conrad Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 14. Chef Cristian Faure, MOF, of LCB Ottawa came with Kathy Shaw, Chef Armando Baisas, Yannick Anton, executive chef of Signatures, and Tony Garcia. Patrick Martin came with Nicholas Bernarde, MOF. CEC, our parent company, was very well represented at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton as well. Lloyd Kirsch, Marshall Shafkowitz, Kirk Bachmann, Ken Rubin, and I thought I saw Paul Ryan in the crowd, too.

The surprise of the night was the appearance of Andre Cointreau, owner of Le Cordon Bleu and Cointreau liqeuer and Remy Martin. The instructors, nor the students did not know he was coming. Mr Cointreau came to the back kitchen were we were setting up all the desserts to greet everybody, shook hands with the students and graciously posed for pictures.

Before their demo at the convention on Saturday all the International Chefs spent a full week with our students. Chef Nicholas did a demo on chocolate showpiece and Chef Armando on ice carving and garde manger. Patrick Martin demoed Julia Child's final practical. These classes were also part of the IACP continuing education program. Also, all of close to 10000 pieces of petit fours were made at school. It was such a thrill for the Baking and Pastry students to work with the two MOFS and Yannick.


Thank you to all the students who helped produce the petit fours, and everybody who volunteered to help at the Conrad Hilton. Thanks to all the visiting chefs who were wonderful, accomodating and with such sense of humility shared their skill and expertise. We all had a great time.