Do you spend most of your day at work wishing you could be in the kitchen? Is it your ultimate career goal to set up your very own food or drinks business? Maybe you've got a culinary business or product idea that you just know will be a hit in the market? If you answered yes to any of the above then, boy, have we got the opportunity for you.

After all, it's time you stopped day-dreaming and actually start pursuing your ambitions. And one of the best ways to make that first step in your new career is with Le Cordon Bleu's Culinary Arts & Business management; a programme which offers aspiring food or drink entrepreneurs (or even those who simply fancy a career change) the skills and knowledge required to become an active part of the food industry.

The prestigious culinary school provides students with the crucial skills it takes to turn their ambitions into a reality. The courses include the Diplôme de Cuisine or Diplôme de Pâtisserie, both of which can be taken in 9 months or 6 months intensively. Alternatively, you can combine the two with the Grand Diplôme®, a 9 months study which will hone the skills you already possess even further and give you a solid knowledge in pastry and cuisine.

Budding entrepreneurs can then follow that up with the Diploma in Culinary Management which will not only refine the skills you already possess but gift you all the necessary knowledge on how to successfully run your own food business or become a restaurant manager.

The sort of knowledge you can then use to set up your own restaurant, catering company, food truck, or even utilise to become a restaurant manager, a chef or event coordinator for yourself. There's many possibilities ahead.

At Le Cordon Bleu, you can learn to master your cooking techniques, develop your own business concept and create engaging products within your chosen market. Just like alumna Patience Hlophe who used the skills she gained studying the Diplôme de Cuisine and the Diploma in Culinary Management to propel her career forward. Now the successful owner of boutique cake store, Madeleine's Cakes, the successful pastry chef cites her studies at the institute as crucial for her development:

"Studying at Le Cordon Bleu has not only given me the confidence, knowledge and skills to join the most competitive industry, but has helped me gain entry in highly reputable establishments in the industry and also enabled me to start my own business."

Another graduate – restauranteur Radu Ionescu – studied the Grand Diplôme and Diploma in Culinary Management and acquired the skills required for him to open and run his own restaurant: KAIAMO. "It broadened my horizons; no doubt about it," says Ionescu, "it brought to light aspects of business that acted as a kind of 'mise en place' for what was about to come next, providing me with a set of skills that only got more accentuated in the months that followed".

Whether your passion lies in finicky pastries or fine-dining, Le Cordon Bleu's goal is to continue giving future chefs and entrepreneurs access to the world of culinary arts. Make yourself a part of that world by booking your place on the course today.

Visit Le Cordon Bleu for more information about how to kickstart your culinary adventure.