THEY WILL LEARN THE ART OF CUISINE IN FRANCE
The students of Izmir University of Economics (IUE), Department of Culinary Arts and Management, prepared a “Welcome to Winter” dinner with the chefs of Les Toques Blanches du Monde” in Lyon, France, known as the Capital City of Chefs. The students prepared meals and dessert under the guidance of French Michelin Starred, famous Chef Joseph Viola and Cake and Chocolate Master French Chef Sebastian Bouillet at IUE Cam Restaurant. During the event, Chef Joseph Viola announced that 23 students who applied to perform internship in France were accepted and that they would be able to receive training at the most famous restaurants of France for 3 months. Both the students and Ekrem Demirtaş, President of IUE Board of Trustees, welcomed the news with great joy.
President Demirtaş stated that they started out with a dream. He said, “They told us ‘You won’t be able to do it, you won’t succeed’. This used to be a casino hotel; we asked whether we could turn this place into a university. We started with believing! Initially, there were 300 students. They received education surrounded by the construction. The name of the cafe here was “Le Şantiye Kafe (Building Site Cafe)”. But, all our students believed in and trusted us, and it turned out to be a major success. Joseph Viola came here as a world famous chef. While we were brooding on how to tell the students who won’t be able to go to France, Chef Viola accepted the applications of all 23 students and invited them to France.”
‘Izmir enter the Association of Gourmet Cities’
President Demirtaş said that he was very interested in cuisines himself and wanted a department of culinary arts and management to be established at IUE very much. “Izmir will enter the Association of Gourmet Cities thanks to Chef Joseph Viola. We will meet in January again. There will be Izmir – Lyon get together. We will get Joseph Viola’s name engraved in the Wall of Honour at Department of Culinary Arts and Management”, stated Demirtaş.
‘We admired the Whole Class’
Joseph Viola stated that the students prepared very delicious meals. He said, “I received a very warm welcome when I came here for the first time. This time, the famous cake and chocolate chef Sebastian Bouillet accompanied me. He owns 5 stores in Lyon and 2 in Tokyo. We’ve reached success in our studies we started last year. Students of Izmir University of Economics are performing their internships at our restaurants. 2 students came 2 years ago, and 10 last year. It is very important to host foreign students in our restaurants and share our experience with them as French chefs. 23 students will be joining us in June of 2015.”
‘Big Goals’
French Chef Sebastian Bouillet stated that he has been to all around the world and it was his first time visiting Izmir but he has never experienced such hospitality and students in love with their profession this much anywhere else. Bouillet said that they would be accomplishing major success in pastry with the students.
