Institut Culinaire de France

What Institut Culinaire de France does

Institut Culinaire de France is a private higher-education institution dedicated to the sweet culinary arts, covering bakery, viennoiserie, pastry, chocolate, confectionery and ice-cream, supplemented by entrepreneurship and management training. Founded in 2019 and operationally based in Bordeaux, the school delivers a three-year Bachelor's degree, CAP certifications, two-month intensive camps and professional licences, with Pierre Hermé chairing the Teaching Committee and a World Pastry Championship silver medallist serving as Executive Pastry Chef. The school operates a Bakery-Pastry Model Shop on campus, described as the first inside a French educational institution, and runs apprenticeship tracks alongside its degree programs.

Revenue is generated through tuition: €12,200 per year for the Bachelor's degree, €9,000 for the two-month intensive camps, plus a €450 registration fee and €800 student kit. The school is Qualiopi-certified, making its programs eligible for French state-funded tuition mechanisms such as the CPF. Capacity is stated at 560 student seats, with an additional 500 seats planned for adult continuing-education learners. The institution is wholly owned by Galileo Global Education, a network of 47 schools enrolling roughly 40,000 students per year across 31 campuses and 280 international partnerships, which provides international recruitment reach, shared back-office infrastructure and alumni cross-sell potential. ICF employs 38 people and actively recruits international cohorts through ICEF events in Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul, Kiev, Moscow and Almaty.

Name

Institut Culinaire de France

Legal name

GALILEO GLOBAL EDUCATION FRANCE

Website

https://institutculinaire.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Institut Culinaire de France is a private culinary school in Bordeaux delivering Bachelor's, CAP and intensive programs in pastry, bakery, chocolate and confectionery to French and international students, operating under Galileo Global Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Culinary & Hospitality Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Baking & Pastry Arts (EDAOAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patisserie & Confectionery (Chocolate/Sugar Arts) (EDAOAKAD), Culinary Skills Workshops (Baking, Regional Cooking, Food Prep Skills) (THAJAKAE)

Keywords

• Culinary arts education
• Pastry training programs
• Professional baking school
• Hospitality certification
• Culinary entrepreneurship

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue generated from tuition fees for various programs including Bachelor degrees, professional certificates (CAP), and intensive camps. Bachelor programs cost €12,200 per annum, intensive camps €9,000 for 2 months.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Institut Culinaire de France is a private culinary school delivering degree programs (3-year Bachelor in Confectionery Arts & Entrepreneurship, 1-year Licence pro MACAT), vocational certifications (CAP Pâtissier, CAP Boulanger, CAP Glacier, CAP Chocolatier-confiseur via apprenticeship and career-conversion tracks), a specialized boutique-pastry certificate (CS), and 2-month intensive Spring/Summer Pastry Camps in English. All programs combine intensive hands-on laboratory practice with theoretical instruction and an entrepreneurial posture, taught in French with live English translation at the Bordeaux campus.

Product overview

Institut Culinaire de France is a private higher technical education institution forming students in sweet culinary arts and management. The offering consists of degree programs (Bachelor, Professional License), vocational certifications (CAP in Patisserie, Bakery, Ice Cream Making, Chocolate), specialized certificates, and intensive seasonal camps. The portfolio includes a 3-year Bachelor in Confectionery Arts & Entrepreneurship, 1-year professional degree in MACAT with Confectionery options, CAP certifications in various specializations through apprenticeship or career conversion tracks, boutique pastry specialization certificate, and 2-month intensive Spring/Summer Camp programs. The Bordeaux campus also features a unique-in-France model bakery-pastry shop for hands-on student training. Programs are delivered through intensive laboratory practice combined with theoretical knowledge and business/entrepreneurial training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor - Arts culinaires sucrés & Entrepreneuriat A 3-year bachelor's degree training entrepreneurs in pastry, chocolate, confectionery, ice-cream, and baking arts combined with business and management skills. Includes a 4-month work placement each year. Located in Bordeaux; taught in French with live English translation. Annual tuition €12,200.
• Licence pro MACAT - options Arts Sucrés A 1-year professional degree (Level 6 certification) with options in confectionery arts. Reported training certification success rate of 100% in 2023.
• CAP Pâtissier en reconversion An 8-month intensive pastry certification program designed for career changers (reconversion professionnelle). CAP Pâtissier success rate: 83.78% in 2023.
• CAP Glacier fabricant en reconversion An 8.5-month ice-cream and sorbet maker certification program designed for career changers (reconversion professionnelle). CAP Glacier fabricant success rate: 100% in 2023.
• CAP Pâtisserie en apprentissage A 2-year apprenticeship-based pastry certification combining practical training in partner companies with theoretical coursework at the school.
• CAP Boulanger en apprentissage A 1-year apprenticeship-based bakery certification program. CAP Boulanger success rate: 100% in 2023. Training covers kneading, shaping, and baking techniques for traditional breads, viennoiseries, and regional specialties.
• Certificat de spécialisation « Pâtisserie de boutique » A specialized certification (CS) in boutique pastry-making that complements existing qualifications with advanced boutique-specific techniques. Designed for working artisans seeking specialization.
• Spring Camp Pâtisserie A 2-month intensive spring program (April to June) covering four specialties: pastry, bakery, chocolate, and ice-cream. Includes 7 hours daily of professional laboratory immersion. Taught in English. Cost: €9,000.
• Summer Camp Pâtisserie A 2-month intensive summer program covering four specialties: pastry, bakery, chocolate, and ice-cream. Includes 7 hours daily of professional laboratory immersion. Participants receive a school certificate upon completion. Cost: €9,000.
• Bakery-Pastry Model Shop (Boutique d'application) A first-of-its-kind-in-France training bakery-pastry shop at the Bordeaux campus where students handle production and service under chef supervision. Open to the public Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm at 44 rue de la Faïencerie, Bordeaux. Functions as both a student training ground and a public retail outlet.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83.78-100% certification pass rates for Level 3 CAP certifications
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Galileo Global EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company network providing quality assurance, international partnerships, and professional network. Institut Culinaire de France is an establishment within Galileo Global Education France SAS. The network includes 47 schools, 40,000 students/year, 100,000 alumni, 31 campuses, and 280 international partnerships. Students benefit from interdisciplinary study options and international exchange opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• L'École Valrhona: Chocolate-focused training center run by premium chocolate supplier Valrhona, offering specialized chocolate and confectionery programs. Emerging/specialized player with narrower scope than ICF (chocolate only) but comparable target audience of professional pastry chefs seeking advanced specialization.
• The French Pastry School: Chicago-based pastry school offering career-focused pastry and cake decorating programs modeled on the French tradition. Comparable through pedagogical focus on French pastry techniques; serves a similar career-changer audience but operates primarily in the U.S. market.
• Bellouet Conseil Paris: Paris-based pastry school offering intensive professional pastry programs including CAP preparation and masterclasses. Smaller specialty player comparable to ICF's intensive camp offerings, focused on short-duration high-immersion training for career changers and professionals.

Direct peers

• INBP (Institut National de Boulangerie Pâtisserie): Rouen-based institute dedicated to bakery and pastry training, offering CAP, BP, BM certifications. Direct comparable for French vocational bakery/pastry education; ICF's Executive Pastry Chef Kyung Ran Baccon graduated from INBP, and both schools prepare students for the same French certifications.
• École Ducasse: Alain Ducasse-founded culinary school with campuses in Paris and Yssingeaux offering pastry, bakery, and plant-based culinary programs. Direct comparable for culinary arts higher education, with similar positioning around chef-led pedagogy and career-change audiences.
• Ferrandi Paris: French hospitality and culinary school (founded 1920) offering CAP, Bachelor, and MSc programs in pastry, cuisine, and hospitality. Direct comparable in terms of vocational pastry training, CAP certification offerings, and target audience of career changers and post-baccalaureate students in France.
• École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie (ENSP): French pastry specialty school based in Yssingeaux, offering intensive pastry, chocolate, and bakery training for professionals and career changers. Direct competitor for advanced pastry training, with similar curriculum structure and similar teaching committee featuring renowned pastry chefs.
• Lenôtre Culinary Arts School: French culinary school founded by Gaston Lenôtre offering pastry, bakery, and cuisine programs for amateurs and professionals. Direct comparable in French gastronomy education, with shared focus on entrepreneurial and professional pastry training and similar pricing tier.

Others

• Galileo Global Education (parent context): European higher education group operating 47 schools across multiple verticals (fashion, design, business, digital, culinary). Listed for context as ICF's parent; comparable as a portfolio reference for the standalone value of a culinary vertical within a diversified education group.

Broad incumbents

• Le Cordon Bleu: Global culinary arts school network founded in Paris in 1895, offering pastry, bakery, and culinary programs in dozens of countries. ICF's Managing Director previously led Le Cordon Bleu Paris; both schools compete for the same career-changer and international student segments in French pastry arts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-culinaire-de-france

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institut Culinaire de France