French chef Paul Bocuse lent his name to a culinary and hospitality school in 2002, helping shape an institution dedicated to preserving French gastronomy and the art of hospitality.
Eight years after he died in 2018, the school, now known as Institut Lyfe, has grown into an international educational institution that says it welcomes 1,200 students from 75 nationalities across a 17,000-square-metre campus spread across two castles in Écully, near Lyon, France.According to the institute’s official website, the school offers programmes ranging from bachelor’s degrees to master’s and Master of Science (MSc) qualifications.
Its teaching combines practical experience with project management, entrepreneurship and creativity, with the aim of preparing students for careers in culinary arts, restaurant management and hospitality.
From a to Institut Paul Bocuse
The institution’s history dates to 1990, when the École des Arts Culinaires et d’Hôtellerie was inaugurated in Écully under the initiative of France’s then culture minister, Jack Lang, and with Bocuse serving as its honorary patron.
Its stated objective was to promote French gastronomy internationally and pass on the country’s culinary traditions to future generations.Bocuse, one of France’s most influential chefs known as the 'Pope of Gastronomy', worked alongside Gérard Pélisson, co-founder of the Accor hotel group, to develop the school’s ambitions. In 1998, Pélisson took over as president of its governing body alongside Bocuse. Four years later, the institution adopted the name Institut Paul Bocuse, recognising the chef’s contribution and association with the school.Bocuse died on January 20, 2018, aged 91. His influence remains central to the institution’s identity, although the school changed its name to Institut Lyfe in 2023. The rebranding reflected its expanding international ambitions and a broader focus on culinary arts, hospitality and food service management.
Two castles and an international student community
Its 17,000-square-metre campus encompasses two castles surrounded by landscaped grounds.Image credit: Facebook
Institut Lyfe describes its campus as a multicultural learning environment combining modern educational facilities with historic architecture.
Its 17,000-square-metre campus encompasses two castles surrounded by landscaped grounds.The expansion includes Château de la Roseraie, which opened as a new centre for hospitality and management education in 2023, alongside the historic Château du Vivier campus. The newer centre added 22 classrooms, a 250-seat amphitheatre and collaborative workspaces, expanding the institution’s capacity and facilities.
The institute says its student community represents 75 nationalities, giving it an international dimension while retaining its roots in the Lyon region, a major centre of French gastronomy.Its programmes span culinary arts, pastry, hospitality management, restaurant and wine management, and related specialisations. The teaching model emphasises practical learning, project-based work and entrepreneurial thinking, rather than limiting training to classroom instruction.
Research, recognition and a Michelin-starred training restaurant
The institution has also expanded into research and higher education. In 1999, with support from Hervé Fleury and in partnership with Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, it introduced a professional degree combining hospitality and cooking, which the institute describes as a first for a university programme portfolio.In 2008, it opened the Centre for Food and Hospitality Research, which the school identifies as the first of its kind in Europe.
The centre was established to examine developments in food and hospitality and connect research with professional training.In 2018, Institut Paul Bocuse became the first private higher-education institution in hospitality and food service to receive dual recognition from the French state, according to its official history. This combined its existing professional certification with recognition from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
The institute subsequently secured state approval for its bachelor’s programmes.Its training restaurant, Saisons, received a Michelin star in 2020, adding another milestone to the school’s development. In 2022, Saisons became the first educational restaurant to join Relais & Châteaux, an international association of luxury hotels and restaurants, according to the institute.