After comparing three different Paris-based pastry schools, I decided last November to apply to the international intensive program at Ferrandi. Every program has its pros and cons, but I was swayed by Ferrandi’s internship requirement as well as the additional classes included in the curriculum (boulangerie, traiteur, French, oenology, and art).

Ferrandi accepted me in March, but my program didn’t begin until early September. From September through the end of January I went to class five days a week for 5+ hours. In the international pastry program we had two groups of twelve students each with their own chef.

Every week the groups would flip flop and one would have lab in the morning (8am to 1pm) and the other would have lab in the afternoon (2pm to 7pm) with the additional courses taking place in the time slot opposite lab. If a morning boulangerie class was on your schedule, then you’d have a 6:30am start. Even though arriving at school that early could be rough, warm croissants for breakfast and getting to take home fresh baked bread always made my dark bicycle commute worth it.

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