World famous culinary arts and hospitality school, Le Cordon Bleu, in collaboration with Southern Cross University have announced the recipients of the 2013 Education & Industry Professional Scholarships for the Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomic Tourism.

Tuition scholarships of $5000 were awarded to Jarrod Scott, Marketing Manager for Oxenberry & Scarpantoni Wines, and Tara Loty, Outreach and Mentoring Manager for the University of Wollongong to undertake units from the Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomic Tourism program in 2013.

Partial scholarships (valued at $2500) were also awarded in recognition of highly commendable applicants.  These were awarded to Lucy Macdonald, Project Manager, delicious magazine Produce Awards and Judy Squire, Hospitality Teacher at Gunnedah High School.

Le Cordon Bleu Australia's Manager, Educational Leadership, Dr Roger Haden said "the field was very strong, with a high calibre of professionals from varied backgrounds applying in this, our first round of the scholarship offer."

"The quality of applications demonstrates that our degree is attracting innovative, passionate people committed to community and lifelong education and who will be future leaders in food and wine tourism. Applicants showed a clear desire to share their knowledge and experience" he said.

 "Gastronomic tourism is helping to revive rural ways of life and strengthen cultural traditions. It is a growing market sector fostering employment in hospitality and artisan food and wine production and an area of increasing interest for study" Dr Haden added.

Recipient of the Industry scholarship, Jarrod Scott, believes "studying the Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomic Tourism will broaden the scope of what I already know from working at Oxenberry Farm Wines & Café and will better arm me to continue spreading the delights of gastronomy to the wider public."

About the Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomic Tourism (MGT)

The Master of Gastronomic Tourism commenced in May 2012 and over 45 students are currently undertaking units in the program.  The only post graduate degree of its kind available in Australia, the MGT offers flexibility for mature age students, professionals and tourism industry personnel seeking further education and is delivered entirely online and globally.

Students with internet access, a computer and a passion for gastronomy will be able to study from anywhere in the world, networking with like-minded individuals engaged in topics ranging from sustainability and food security to contemporary trends in cuisine and culinary arts; from food writing for media to the history of gastronomy and the restaurant; and from small business management to entrepreneurship and the application of ethical business practices in tourism operations. Graduates of the program will work in hospitality, writing, media and tourism.

About Le Cordon Bleu

Le Cordon Bleu, one of the world's most prestigious providers of gastronomy, culinary and hospitality management education, was founded in Paris in 1895.   

Le Cordon Bleu International operates an Asia-Pacific base from facilities in Regency Park, South Australia and has offered bachelor and master's degrees in hotel and restaurant management from Adelaide since 2001.  In 2012 Le Cordon Bleu offers a diverse range of higher education qualifications, delivering tourism, business management, food and wine entrepreneurship and gastronomy degrees at bachelors and masters levels in partnership with a number of different universities around Australia. 

Le Cordon Bleu has a generous annual scholarship program designed to recruit the brightest and most talented students and to support their professional development and education as they aspire to industry leadership.

Media contact for images, interviews and further information:

Sophie Mibus, Mobile: 0450 609 006 or email: smibus@cordonbleu.edu