“Lisa Allen, pastry chef and ambassador of French know-how in California,” translated from the website of the Consulate General of France in San Francisco

In late February, pastry chef Lisa Allen was invited by the Villa Albertine San Francisco cultural inititative of the French Consul General to host workshops and conferences in California as part of an educational intervention, combining language and gastronomy.

The classes were held from February 24 to 28, in partnership with the École Bilingue de Berkeley and the Lycée Français de San Francisco.

Trained at the Ferrandi school in Paris, Lisa Allen is a recognized chocolate specialist and member of the Grand Jury of the Academy of Chocolate. Founder of Tarts & Truffles Paris, she shares her expertise by organizing workshops and tastings to promote French pastry and gastronomy. Her international career and her commitment to education make her an ideal ambassador for the French language and culture.

During her stay in California, she led hands-on chocolate making workshops for elementary school students, highlighting her expertise while illustrating the richness of the French language. She also used this time to teach the young students about how chocolate is made, some of the secrets of the rainforest and lead them in an introductory tasting of fine flavor craft chocolate. These sessions were made possible thanks to a collaboration with Dandelion Chocolate, who kindly lent her some necessary equipment. A conference for parents of students was also held at the École Bilingue de Berkeley, in partnership with the Alliance Française de Berkeley and the French department of the University of California at Berkeley.

When she wasn't leading workshops with the elementary children, Lisa Allen spoke to groups of sudents at Cupertino High School and The Harker School in San Jose to introduce them to the importance of French in an international career path. These presentations were punctuated by chocolate tastings as well, offering students a unique sensory experience combining language and gastronomy.

This initiative is part of the "French for All" programs, which aim to make the French language more visible and accessible through educational and cultural activities. The Cheffe en Residence initiative falls squarely within the program's objectives, encouraging linguistic and cultural exchanges between the United States and France through educational and cultural activities, scholarships and training for French teachers.

Read article in french on the Consulate General of France in San Francisco