“Exquisite is light, it reminds you that you will be in professions requiring a lot of sense of strategy, of organization, of rationalization. But what will always make the difference is that little something, the supplement of soul or of culture, the cherry on top of the cake. That little touch of practical, psychological or esthetic nature, something that will bring to the lips of your clients the word exquisite.”

With these words on Thursday the 29th October Bernard Pivot, the godfather of the Promotion 2009 expressed himself to the 130 graduates of 25 different nationalities. This ceremony took place in presence of Paul Bocuse, President of Honour and of Gérard Pélisson, President of the Institute. Among the 1300 guests were Jacques Gérault, Prefect of Rhône, Jean-Jack Queyranne, President of the Rhône-Alpes region, Christine Pujol, President of UMIH (Union of Hotel Professions and Industry) and more than 700 family members of the graduates, having traveled from all over the world.

The graduates recently finished their studies successfully in three programs offered by the Institute in partnership with the University Jean Moulin Lyon 3: International Hotel and Restaurant Management (52 graduates), Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management (68 graduates), Master’s Degree in International Hotel and Restaurant Management (10 graduates). Institut Paul Bocuse trains students to professions of hotel and restaurant industry and to those of culinary arts. Integrating tradition and modernity, innovation and research, it transmits know-how in terms of techniques and management, in order to fulfill current and future needs of the profession on an international scale.

Gérard Pélisson, the President of the Institute, addressed the following words to the graduates: “You have made the choice to become solid professionals in hotel and restaurant businesses which constitute the spearhead of the prodigious tourism industry, representing – in spite of the economic decline – a considerable long-term potential. In the Institut Paul Bocuse you have learned a profession. Our professions are not those of amateurs, and you have learned that only work and the taste of effort are the conditions to acquire always a deeper professionalism, which is the key of success in this career. And naturally, one has the desire to work only when one loves the profession. This is a profession which you have chosen, and which I know you desire to accomplish well - that’s the essence of success“. This veritable spectacle was created and interpreted by staff members and students of the third year, and it brought to the scene the aspirations of the young graduates who expressed with a great maturity their dreams and wishes. They equally underlined their gratefulness toward Institut Paul Bocuse which has made it possible for them to spread their wings today, rich in promises. After this, each graduate received his or her diploma personally. And to finish with style this magnificent moment of emotions, the guests were invited to taste a cocktail specially created by the program “Culinary Arts & restaurant management“, promotion 2009. The dishes and desserts prepared by the current students of the Institute were all naturally “exquisite”…