Scholarship Partner Spotlight: Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomic Tourism

The Culinary Trust relies on its generous culinary school partners each year to offer life-changing education opportunities around the world. Today we spotlight one of our 2013 donors, the LCB Master of Gastronomic Tourism program.

Le Cordon Bleu, in collaboration with Southern Cross University, recently launched this exciting new online postgraduate degree. The Master of Gastronomic Tourism is an online course designed to explore every facet of the food and wine tourism experience. Students with internet access and a passion for gastronomy and tourism will be able to study this course from anywhere in the world, networking with like-minded individuals and studying topics including contemporary trends in cuisine and culinary arts, food writing for media, festival and event planning and design, the history of gastronomy and the restaurant, small business management, sustainable food production and tourism business, marketing food and wine tourism and food and drink in literature, art and film.

Below is a letter we received from scholarship awardee Tiffany Poe:

To Le Cordon Bleu and The Culinary Trust,

It is with sincere and heartfelt appreciation that I say, THANK YOU for selecting me as the 2013 Le Cordon Bleu Master of Gastronomic Tourism scholarship recipient. I am humbled and so grateful to receive this award. Over the last fifteen years of working in this amazing industry, I have helped so many of my students and apprentices apply for and receive these life-changing scholarships. I know firsthand what a true blessing this is and how it affects someone’s life and career.

First of all, thank you to The Culinary Trust scholarship committee for giving of your time and talents to select the nominees. Thank you also for those who gave and continue to give to the Culinary Trust. Your generosity touches so many lives.

Receiving this scholarship means that I can complete my degree in gastronomy and go on to share my love for cooking and hospitality with many students, guests and professionals for years to come. I am so grateful for the resources and opportunities that The Culinary Trust and Le Cordon Bleu offer to culinary professionals, and without their support and funding I would not be able to reach my goals.

When I applied for this scholarship I was expecting my fourth child to be due in June. He passed unexpectedly right before he was born, and as you can imagine, my life seemed shattered and my heart was broken. After a month of mourning his loss and not feeling motivated to continue on this journey, I received the email from The Culinary Trust telling me that I had won the LCB Master of Gastronomic Tourismscholarship. Tears of joy filled my eyes and words cannot express how this generous gift has touched my heart so deeply. It will not only grant me the ability to continue with something I love and enjoy but will also help me heal as I continue with fulfill the other dreams in my heart.

I dedicate this scholarship to my little boy, Riley. His name meant “Courageous,” and I am reminded by that to never stop learning and growing so others will be inspired to go after their dreams … and, despite setbacks and disappointments, be courageous too.

Sincerely,
Tiffany Poe