GD Goenka University and Le Cordon Bleu gear up to redefine hospitality education in India

New Delhi: India is emerging as a global leader in the hospitality industry, thanks to the rapidly growing economy, rising disposable incomes and soaring demand for skilled professionals.

The sector offers enormous potential and opportunities for hospitality aspirants to build a thriving career in India and across the world.

In view of this, renowned global hospitality educational institutions like Le Cordon Bleu are expanding their infrastructure in India and partnering with industry veterans to nurture future leaders in the global hospitality industry.

''The hotel sector in India is experiencing tremendous growth of 7 per cent, making the country an international leader in the hospitality landscape. Citing this unprecedented potential, LCB has transitioned from a programme with the GD Goenka University to an entire campus. Our reputation comes from the reputation of our students, and we aim to further expand this legacy,'' said Andre J. Cointreau, President & CEO, Le Cordon Bleu.

Le Cordon Bleu is a preeminent French hospitality management institution with presence in more than 28 countries. The institution's campus on GD Goenka University in Gurugram is expanding its infrastructure to accommodate more students and empower them for the global hospitality industry.

The initiative includes establishing a culinary theatre, three new training kitchens, two new pastry kitchens, one new bakery, one additional chocolate artistry room, and multiple student experience areas. This will aid teaching and training for 500 additional learners, tripling student capacity.

The students on LCB's GD Goenka campus are always industry-ready with a state-of-the-art infrastructure, which will now include 50,000 sq. ft. of technical training areas within the GD Goenka Education City in Gurugram.

Over the last decade, Le Cordon Bleu and GD Goenka University have collaborated extensively to address the high demand for professional undergraduate and diploma programs in hospitality management and culinary arts.

The partnership focuses on diversity and inclusion, including regular upskilling of teachers and faculty exchange programmes. Furthermore, both the institutions will now focus on Management Development Programmes (MDPs), promoting a culture of continuous learning and professional development.

The curriculum at LCB aligns with the global hospitality industry standards, and many neighbouring countries like Nepal are eyeing LCB's India campus for hospitality education. Also, according to the institute, the salaries in the hospitality industry are growing significantly, with a minimum of 6-8 days off per month to enhance work-life balance.

"LCB has been highly supportive, and we are continuously learning from it. We are also delighted to announce that we are working on building a demo kitchen theatre that can accommodate up to 120 students at a time. It will be the first-of-its-kind facility in India, where students will be able to observe the faculty preparing meals live,'' said Nipun Goenka, Managing Director, GD Goenka Group.

‘’We look forward to becoming a part of LCB's global learning system, where each student will receive an LCB email ID and have access to all the learning materials available on 35 LCB campuses worldwide. Furthermore, we are exploring pathways for our students to complete their education overseas by attending any LCB campus across the world after two years,'' he added.

With the NEP 2020 envisioning a global learning experience for students, collaborations and expansion drives like these can go a long way in contributing to the growth of India’s hospitality sector, making the country a hub of global education.