New intensive courses in Naturalité cuisine and plant-based pastry respond to the evolving expectations of chefs, restaurants and consumers worldwide.

Paris, 15th September 2026 – As gastronomy continues to evolve towards more plant-forward, responsible and ingredient-led approaches, École Ducasse is expanding its professional training portfolio with three new intensive programmes launching in spring 2027.

Designed for culinary professionals, entrepreneurs and career changers, the new programmes reflect some of the strongest transformations currently reshaping the industry:

• Essentials of Naturalité, delivered in English at École Ducasse Paris Campus from 9 April 2027
• Vegan Pastry Essentials, delivered in English at École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie (ENSP) from 19 April 2027
• Les Essentiels de la Pâtisserie Végane, delivered in French at ENSP from 18 May 2027

Together, these programmes reinforce École Ducasse's commitment to equipping culinary professionals with the technical expertise and creative mindset required to respond to the evolution of contemporary gastronomy, from plant-forward and responsible cuisine to vegan pastry.

Responding to a profound transformation of gastronomy

Consumer expectations are changing rapidly.

Across restaurants, hotels and fine dining establishments, chefs are increasingly expected to create menus that celebrate vegetables, reduce food waste, showcase seasonality and develop more balanced culinary experiences without compromising flavour or creativity.

At the same time, plant-based pastry is moving beyond niche markets to become an increasingly important area of expertise for professionals seeking to respond to new dietary expectations while maintaining the highest technical standards.

Rather than viewing these developments as passing trends, École Ducasse considers them part of a broader evolution of culinary excellence—one that remains deeply rooted in technique while embracing innovation.

Naturalité: Alain Ducasse's philosophy translated into professional training

The new Essentials of Naturalité programme at Paris Campus offers a four-week immersive experience dedicated to Alain Ducasse's culinary philosophy.

Participants explore a plant-forward approach centred on seasonality, product respect and flavour optimisation, while developing a broad professional technical repertoire around vegetables, legumes, cereals, seeds and fermentation. Animal products are approached thoughtfully and used only where they genuinely enhance the final dish. Research & Development is integrated throughout the programme, culminating in the creation and execution of a complete plant-forward gastronomic menu in a brigade setting.

Plant-based pastry: mastering technique without compromise

At ENSP, the world's largest campus entirely dedicated to sweet arts, École Ducasse is introducing two versions of its new four-week vegan Pastry Essentials programme (one in English and one in French) to answer growing international demand.

The curriculum covers every major family of pastry, including tarts, entremets, viennoiserie, chocolate, confectionery and plated desserts, enabling participants to master plant-based substitutions while fully understanding the technological behaviour of alternative ingredients. Beyond recipes, participants develop the ability to design coherent professional pastry offerings that meet evolving market expectations without compromising taste, texture or aesthetics.

Building on a long-standing approach to plant-based gastronomy

These new programmes do not mark École Ducasse's first step into plant-based cuisine and pastry. Rather, they build on an approach already embedded across École Ducasse’s educational offer. Plant-based cuisine and pastry are explored within existing Essentials programmes, including Naturalité: The Essentials in Culinary Arts Essentials and vegan pastry within French Pastry Arts Essentials, as well as through professional short courses such as Cuisine végétale, L’ADN de la Naturalité and Nadia Sammut’s Cuisiner le vivant.

The launch of Essentials of Naturalité and Vegan Pastry Essentials therefore marks a natural extension of this commitment, offering dedicated four-week programmes that allow participants to deepen their technical and creative mastery of plant-based gastronomy. They reflect École Ducasse’s broader ambition not simply to respond to changes in culinary and pastry arts, but to equip professionals with the skills to shape their evolution.

Programme information and registration

Applications are now open for the three programmes launching in spring 2027. Full programme details, admission requirements and registration information are available below:

• Essentials of Naturalité – Paris Campus, English, starting 9 April 2027: Discover the programme and apply
• Vegan Pastry Essentials – ENSP, English, starting 19 April 2027: Discover the programme and apply
• Les Essentiels de la Pâtisserie Végane – ENSP, French, starting 18 May 2027: Découvrir le programme et s'inscrire

About École Ducasse 

École Ducasse is a network of schools founded in 1999 by multi-starred chef Alain Ducasse, dedicated to the transmission of outstanding French expertise and excellence in culinary and pastry arts.  

École Ducasse runs three schools in France – Paris Studio, Paris Campus and École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie as well as international schools and studios in the Philippines, India, Thailand and UAE. 

All are united by a desire to share a passion for gastronomy, the broad portfolio of programs aims to meet all training needs: from short programs for experts or food enthusiasts to intensive two to nine month programs for career changers, to three-year undergraduate programs and bachelor’s degree in culinary and pastry arts. 

École Ducasse is part of Sommet Education, the world’s leading network in hospitality, luxury, and culinary arts education and training. École Ducasse was named the World’s Best Culinary Training Institution in 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

For more information, visit:https://www.ecoleducasse.com/en