07 September 2026
4 weeks
Sofia, Bulgaria
€5000
English
Designed for passionate pastry professionals and aspiring chefs, this immersive 4-week program combines intensive hands-on training with contemporary techniques inspired by the excellence of French pastry arts. Participants will train in professional kitchens while developing advanced skills in pastry creation, chocolate artistry, viennoiserie production, plated desserts, and modern cake design.
Learn through daily practical experience inside a professional culinary environment. Guided by demonstrations and hands-on production sessions, participants will strengthen both technical precision and creative execution using industry-standard methods and equipment.
Develop specialized expertise across multiple pastry disciplines, including chocolate work, fermentation methods, dessert presentation, and large-scale production organization. The program is designed to help participants elevate their professional skills and adapt to contemporary hospitality and bakery trends.
École Ducasse is a globally recognised French culinary institution founded by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse and considered one of the leading names in international culinary education. For the third consecutive year, École Ducasse was awarded Best Culinary Training Institution in the World, confirming its position among the top culinary schools worldwide.
The École Ducasse team will deliver this special training program at HRC Culinary Academy, focusing on advanced culinary techniques, intensive hands-on practice, and the highest standards in modern pastry and bakery.
Discover modern pastry techniques rooted in French culinary tradition. From elegant entremets and refined plated desserts to innovative wedding cakes and artisanal viennoiserie, participants will explore creations designed for today’s professional pastry industry.
Traditional and innovative creations designed for success.
The secrets of French bread and viennoiserie.
A pastry mix designed for restaurant menus.
Master the art of chocolate creation. Learn how to present a wide range of chocolate pieces, bonbons and bars
The French Pastry Art is built around practical kitchen experience.
Participants will work directly with professional equipment and techniques through:
Hosted at HRC Culinary Academy, one of Bulgaria’s leading culinary education centers, the program combines international pastry excellence with a dynamic professional learning environment.
*The course fee may be split into two payments: a 50% deposit upon confirmation of enrollment and the remaining balance, payable no later than two weeks before the start of the course.
**In the event of cancellation less than 14 calendar days prior to the course start date, after a place has been reserved through full or partial payment of the course fee, HRC Culinary Academy reserves the right to retain €250 as a cancellation fee.
Dates: 7 September – 2 October 2026
Duration: 4 weeks
Program: From Monday to Friday (08:00 – 12:00/13:30 – 17:00)
Step 1
Send us an email to info@hrcacademy.com
Step 2
We will get in touch with you to give you additional information and answer your questions.
On June 17, HRC Culinary Academy will welcome one of the leading names in French pastry artistry – Luc Debove – Meilleur Ouvrier de France, Executive Pastry Chef & Director at École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie – École Ducasse for a special free masterclass offering an exclusive preview of the “French Pastry Arts” program by École Ducasse.
This event is the perfect opportunity for anyone considering joining the program to experience the training approach firsthand, discover the academy atmosphere, and gain insight into the level of professional pastry education before enrolling in the full 4-week program starting in September.
Participation in the masterclass is free of charge and will be held in English. The places are limited and prior registration is required at info@hrcacademy.com
After completing a CAP in pastry-making, an apprenticeship in pastry, confectionery and chocolate-making, and obtaining his Master Pastry Chef diploma in 1996, Luc Debove joined the team at Le Méridien Beach Plaza in Monaco as Head Pastry Chef in 1999, before moving to the Royal Riviera in St-Jean Cap Ferrat. At the same time, he became a lecturer on the Master’s course in pastry at the Chambre des Métiers des Alpes-Maritimes. He then moved to Paris to work as a pastry instructor at the École Bellouet Conseil.
From 2007 onwards, and for the next nine years, he served as Head Pastry Chef at the Grand Hôtel du Cap Ferrat, the highly renowned Four Seasons hotel on the Côte d’Azur and a Michelin-starred establishment, where he led a team of up to 25 pastry chefs.
His professional experience has been complemented by numerous competitions throughout his career. In 1995, Luc Debove won first prize for artistic sugar sculptures in Nice, and in 2006 he was awarded first prize in the National Water Ice Sculpture Competition. The year 2008 saw the crowning achievement of his work with the title of French Champion in Hydric Ice Sculpting, very quickly followed by the First Prize in the Open Competition for Frozen Desserts as well as the European Trophy at Sirha in Lyon.
In 2010, he became World Ice Champion in Rimini. In 2011, he was named Meilleur Ouvrier de France Glacier. His career and expertise were recognised in 2015 with the distinction of the National Order of Agricultural Merit.
A variety of experiences that enabled him to acquire valuable skills and to be equally at home in pastry, ice cream making, baking, confectionery and chocolate making, as well as in teaching and passing on the expertise he wished to put at the service of the École Ducasse – École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie, as Director and Executive Pastry Chef.