Diane Laudic, Alumni of the Paul Bocuse Institute and former scholarship holder of the G&G Pélisson Foundation, graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in International Management of Culinary Arts. During her studies at the Institut Paul Bocuse, she received a business grant financed by La Cornue.
Now a graduate, she is chef de partie at the Vesper restaurant, a Nikkei cuisine restaurant, a culinary fusion between Japan and Peru. Full of ambitions, Diane gains experience and thrives in a passionate work.
She agreed to talk to us about her course at the Institute and her new professional life.
HER CAREER SINCE THE INSTITUTE
Can you tell us a bit about your background since the Institute?
At the end of my studies, I continued in starred gastronomy, at Oliviers (1 star) in Bandol and at Putelat (2 stars) in Carcassonne.
Back in Paris, my hometown, I decided to work with Michel and Sébastien Bras for the opening of their new Parisian restaurant “La Halle aux grains”, at the top of the former Bourse de commerce.
Since then and with the aim of discovering other types of cuisine, I was part of the opening of the Vesper restaurant as chef de partie alongside Chef Lucas Felzine, known for his delicious Nikkei cuisine.
Tell us about your business and your responsibilities today?
Today I hold the position of chef de partie with pride in an original restaurant in Paris. A very rewarding experience. I was recruited by Chef Lucas Felzine, recognized for having opened a first Nikkei cuisine restaurant named Uma (for Umami) and who works for the Fitz Group. This is his 3rd restaurant in Paris. It is an honor for me to be part of this ambitious project which allows me to discover new cooking techniques and to share a foreign culture in order to broaden my horizons.
I oversee the cooking, which at the Vesper is done with Robata (a kind of Japanese barbecue): whether it’s Wagyu, Black Cod, octopus, or line of the day cooked in banana leaf.
Since its opening in January 2022, I have also had the opportunity to work in other new positions for me, such as the sushi position, alongside Chef Sushiman Mitsuo Miyauchi. A great experience and the discovery of a new culture!
What were the difficulties you encountered ?
The quarantines were very difficult, especially in the field of catering, we had to stay motivated and try to continue to practice and evolve even at home.
Another major difficulty was finding a good atmosphere and a healthy working environment in which to flourish. However, the Covid19 has also had a positive impact because it has made it possible to question the working conditions in the field. I am increasingly convinced that the sector can and must continue to evolve so that we can exercise our passion in the best possible conditions.
What is your greatest pride today?
Despite all the difficulties encountered during the health crisis, I managed to persevere, and I did not give up on my dreams. This was possible thanks to the motivation and energy transmitted to me by all the people I met during my apprenticeship and later, during my professional experiences.
HER VISION OF HER STUDIES AT THE INSTITUT PAUL BOCUSE
How has the Institut Paul Bocuse enabled you to achieve this result today?
I think that in addition to the quality of the teaching, it is the people I was able to meet at the Institute who gave me this open-mindedness and who developed my passion for the cuisines of the world. In addition, the Institute gave me international openness, which is a strategic choice if you want to work abroad.
What has the G&G Pélisson Foundation brought you for the Paul Bocuse Institute?
The Foundation gave me the chance to realize a dream and gave me the keys to achieve it.
Indeed, at the age of 27, I made the risky choice of a professional retraining in gastronomy and, to do so, I deliberately opted for a training of excellence. A training to which I probably would not have had access without the help of the G&G Pélisson Foundation.
How has the scholarship you have been awarded helped you in your career at the Institute?
The Bachelor of Culinary Arts and Entrepreneurship training at the Institut Paul Bocuse is what I was aiming for because I was looking for excellent training in the field of catering. Unfortunately, I was not financially supported in my project at the time and resuming studies from scratch at the age of 27 represented a considerable risk.
Through the G&G Pélisson Foundation for the Paul Bocuse Institute, I was lucky enough to obtain a scholarship financed by La Cornue. This scholarship helped me achieve my dream. I would like to thank Suzanne Weber very much, without whom I would not have known about this scholarship, but also of course the G&G Pélisson Foundation, and the La Cornue company represented by Benoit Favier and Camille Syren.
Do your training and your career at the IPB continue to open doors for you today?
I would say that even today, despite the crisis in our sector caused by the Covid, training in Culinary Arts and Entrepreneurship at the Paul Bocuse Institute is the guarantee of a certain number of acquired skills and prerequisites. which are increasingly sought after by restaurateurs today.
WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?
What is your ambition for the future?
My projects, like many other people, have been somewhat disrupted by the Covid-19 crisis. For now, I would like to improve myself in all positions, learn more about the new products that I work with daily and continue the tests that I do regularly for my cookbook and culinary tests.
Afterwards I would like to evolve for a while in Paris, train myself as a sous-chef then travel abroad (Asia, Latin America) where I could open a restaurant based on creativity and sharing.
What would you like to say to students who are considering entering this industry and these trades?
I will not be the first person to tell them that it is not an easy job but that it is a very beautiful job when you are passionate. Above all, I would like to tell them that they are the next generation, that they have the power to make things happen and to persevere on the path that has been opened: more respect for catering employees, whether at the hourly level, arduous work or moral harassment and sexual harassment.
This is a sector that must and can evolve thanks to you.
What would you like to say to the patrons who support the Foundation?
I would like to tell them that supporting the Foundation means supporting young people (and not so young) as well as supporting excellence. Moreover, it is above all, investing in quality training that will help perpetuate the heritage of a French way of life, culinary techniques that have made French cuisine famous abroad, sharing its values and traditions.
The G&G Pélisson Foundation wishes Diane to continue to flourish in this vast field full of opportunities.
If you also wish to support a student with ambitions and dreams, support our scholarship program.