Plans to open a culinary arts university in Monaco took a step further recently.
The Institut Alain Ducasse was registered in the Official Journal in August, to operate and develop a higher education establishment for training students and professionals in culinary skills. The institute's namesake, Ducasse, is one of the most famous chefs in the world. He arrived in Monaco in 1987 to open the Louis XV restaurant in the Hotel de Paris. After 3 years, the restaurant was awarded 3 Michelin stars in 1990, a first for a hotel restaurant.
Ducasse isn't just a chef, he's also an astute business man. His company, Groupe Alain Ducasse is present in Europe, Asia, USA and Africa. It employs around 2000 people in 8 countries, has 21 gastronomic addresses, a school of cooking and a centre for professional training. The Institut Alain Ducasse is his latest venture, aiming to provide higher education in culinary arts, with an opening date planned for 2010, somewhere in the Port Hercule, perhaps next door to the well-known Monegasque restaurant, Stars n Bars. Professional chefs and students will be able to attend courses on a range of subjects, including wine management and business management.
Although born French, Ducasse was granted Monegasque nationality last year by Prince Albert in recognition of his 20 years of service to the culinary success of the Principality.