Diplôme de Cuisine
Three progressive certificate levels — Basic, Intermediate, and Superior — taking you from kitchen fundamentals to advanced professional technique. 180 hours per level, 6 hours a day, 3 days a week.
International students 2026–2027
CulinaryDiploma is an independent admission agency working under a direct agreement with Özyeğin University — we are not Le Cordon Bleu. We help you enroll in the official programmes on this page.
From knife skills to
Michelin-level technique.
The Diplôme de Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul is designed to give you the necessary skills to create fine cuisine dishes. Students learn all of the dishes through a combination of practical sessions, demonstrations, and theory lessons — taught by a team of internationally trained, classically accomplished chef-instructors.
The programme lasts 33 weeks in total, with 6 hours a day, 3 days a week. Students who complete all three certificate levels are awarded the Diplôme de Cuisine. Each level can also be taken independently.
Three levels. One diploma.
Basic Cuisine Certificate
Demonstrate the fundamental basic cuisine preparations and cooking techniques including:
- Knife skills and classical vegetable cuts
- Basic stocks, sauces, and derivatives
- Elementary butchery and fish preparation
- Basic doughs — puff pastry, pâte brisée
- Plating and presentation techniques
- Basic restaurant dessert methods
- Sautéing, grilling, pan-frying, braising, steaming, poaching
- Health and safety regulations
Intermediate Cuisine Certificate
Implement all basic techniques and apply them to fundamental European regional cuisine including:
- Developing specific knife skills
- Participating in large canapés, team production
- Combining classic and modern plating presentation
- Sweet and savoury hot soufflé
- Developing sauce knowledge
- Preparing live shellfish
- Methods of cooking for preservation
- Classical French culinary terminology
Superior Cuisine Certificate
Demonstrate a wide range of classical and contemporary cuisine techniques including:
- Extending techniques — advanced butchery and fish
- "À la minute" cooking techniques
- Specific preparations, "en veg" garnishes
- Advanced plating and presentation
- Seasonal and market influences on cuisine
- Expressing personal cultural ingredients and flavours
- Creating new recipes with signature ingredients
- Kitchen organisation and management skills
Where this diploma takes you.
Professional Kitchens
Work as a chef de partie, sous-chef, or executive chef in fine dining restaurants, hotel kitchens, or branded F&B concepts globally. The Le Cordon Bleu name opens doors immediately.
Your Own Concept
Open a restaurant, catering business, pop-up, or food product company with professional credibility behind you. Many Le Cordon Bleu alumni have gone on to run successful food ventures.
Hospitality Industry
Culinary directors at luxury hotels, food consultants, menu development roles — the diploma gives you the technical language and authority to work at the highest level of the hospitality sector.
Common questions.
In brief: the Diplôme de Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul is the complete professional French-cuisine qualification — 33 weeks, three certificate levels of 180 hours each, taught in English at Özyeğin University's Çekmeköy campus. Tuition is $28,500 for international students, no IELTS or TOEFL is required, and the diploma awarded is identical to the one issued in Paris. CulinaryDiploma, an independent admission agency working directly with Özyeğin University, helps international students with the application, student visa, and dormitory placement.
Tuition is $28,500 for international students for the complete 33-week diploma — all three certificate levels included. That is significantly lower than the identical diploma at the Paris campus, and Istanbul's living costs are roughly half of Paris. Accommodation and living costs are not included in tuition.
The full Diplôme de Cuisine takes 33 weeks and moves through three levels — Basic, Intermediate, and Superior — with 180 hours of training per level. Each level ends with practical and written examinations before you progress to the next.
No prior culinary experience is required. The programme starts at Basic level and builds progressively — many students arrive with no professional kitchen background. What matters is commitment and the ability to follow instruction in English; no IELTS or TOEFL score is required.
Yes. Le Cordon Bleu Istanbul issues the identical Diplôme de Cuisine as Paris, London, Tokyo, or any other campus. Every diploma is signed by the Fondation Le Cordon Bleu Culinaire, and the curriculum is standardised across all 35 schools worldwide.
Start your Diplôme
de Cuisine application.
Our consultants guide you through the full process. Package 1 ($300) or Full Support ($900).