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Chicago, Illinois (May 18, 2009) – The French Pastry School at City Colleges of Chicago has announced the expansion of an additional 11,000 square feet of hands-on teaching kitchen, two theater-style kitchens, a research and development center, and administrative offices. With this addition, The French Pastry School will double in size fulfilling the rising demand for specialized instruction in the pastry field.

The expansion will facilitate the additional space needed to accommodate more students for the existing programs, L’Art de la Pâtisserie, The Professional Pastry and Baking Program, a 24-week certificate program; the Continuing Education courses, 3- to 5-day courses for professionals and food enthusiasts; and the brand new L’Art du Gâteau – The Professional Cake Decorating and Baking Program beginning August 30, 2010.

L’Art du Gâteau 16-week program will be taught by internationally renowned master chef instructors, Sébastien Canonne, M.O.F., Jacquy Pfeiffer, Nicholas Lodge, John Kraus, and Laura Ragano to name a few. This full-time certificate program is accredited by the Illinois Community College Board, and designed to meet the needs of students who want to specialize in the art of cake baking and decorating. This unique, hands-on course will focus on all aspects of creating wedding, celebration, and specialty cakes.

For career changers, professionals, and novices, L’Art du Gâteau – The Professional Cake Decorating and Baking Program is designed to help students build a solid foundation of knowledge and skills needed to achieve a successful career. Subjects studied will include a wide variety of cake decorating, baking, and construction methods; taste and texture profiles; gum paste, butter cream, piping, and royal icing decorations; frosting, rolled fondant and butter cream; mold making; airbrushing techniques, modeling, sculpted cakes, and 3-D figurines. Techniques that will be taught will include traditional classic British methods as well as innovative and modern French decorating styles. Students will learn chocolate and sugar decoration work.

“There is no program anywhere in the world that offers all the elements of cake baking, taste profiles, cake decoration and design for the wedding and specialty cake industry,” said Master Cake Artist Chef Nicholas Lodge, one of the instructors of the program, “There is a huge need for a program of this caliber. Students will have a wealth of information that will enable them to successfully set up a wedding cake business. It’s so exciting to be part of a program like this because people will really benefit from it.”

All topics in L’Art du Gâteau will be new and additional to the current full-time 24-week program at The French Pastry School, L’Art de la Pâtisserie.

“All of the new program’s components will allow the students to succeed in the cake business and set them apart from the competition,” said Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, co-owner and co-founder of The French Pastry School. “The mentorship between students and experts with decades of experience will be vital to their learning and ultimately their success.”

The first session of L’Art du Gâteau – The Professional Cake Decorating and Baking Program will take place August 30 to December 18, 2010. Applications to the program will be accepted beginning August 1, 2009. Details on this and all programs, including financial aid options, can be found at http://www.frenchpastryschool.com.

For more information on The French Pastry School please visit www.frenchpastryschool.com.