Huvelin, January 18, 2024 - The Institute of Business Administration (IGE) had the honor of welcoming the Ambassador of France to Lebanon, H.E. Hervé Magro, and the Consul, Mr. Julien Bouchard, in the presence of the USJ Vice-Rectors, during a memorable event held at the Social Sciences Campus in Huvelin on Thursday, January 18, 2024.

This event marked the official establishment of a fruitful collaboration between IGE and Mon Liban d’Azur (MLA), with the aim of strengthening educational and cultural ties between the two institutions. Mon Liban d’Azur is a non-profit association established in Nice on August 4, 2019, and operating in Beirut. Its mission is to foster connections between the French Riviera, southern France, and Lebanon, particularly in the fields of gastronomy, culture, and tourism.

The celebrations featured, Olivier Perigault, the head chef of the French Embassy in Lebanon.

The occasion was marked by the gastronomic creations of our acclaimed pastry chef, Charles Azar. Chef Azar delighted the guests’ palates with a frangipane-filled “Galette des rois” and a “Brioche des rois”, a Provencal specialty, exclusively crafted for the occasion.

“The Hotel Management program at IGE holds a unique position in the culinary education landscape. Our mission extends beyond the transmission of professional skills; it extends to the preservation and promotion of the rich French gastronomic heritage. We firmly believe that cuisine is an art form, and our school strives to instill this passion in our students,” shared Prof. Celine Saab, Director of IGE.

“Our seasoned instructor chefs share their expertise, transmitting not only culinary techniques but also love and respect for quality ingredients. By collaborating with MLA, we aspire to extend our influence and promote French gastronomy across borders. Our goal is to foster cultural exchange and mutual understanding through cuisine, thus strengthening the bonds between our communities,” she proudly declared.

As for Mrs. Geraldine Ghostine, founder and president of Mon Liban d’Azur, she asserted, “This new agreement that binds us is particularly focused on the transmission of expertise, skill-sharing, exchange, and training in a field that brings people together and sparks passions, that of culinary art [...] The IGE’s application restaurant, open since last September, was inaugurated by Chef Davy Tissot, Meilleur ouvrier de France (2004) and Bocuse d’Or (2021), whom we know well. Together, we will successfully carry out a very exciting project next October as part of the 150^th anniversary of USJ and the 5 years of MLA.”

The success of this event would not have been possible without the essential support of our valuable partners, especially The Malt Gallery, whose sponsorship greatly contributed to the success of this event.

The Institute of Business Administration reaffirms its commitment to providing versatile, quality education. It will persist in its efforts to ensure the visibility and success of its students. IGE firmly believes that education is the key to shaping a promising future and remains committed to this fundamental mission.

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Read also: Célébration de la collaboration prometteuse entre l'Institut de gestion des entreprises et Mon Liban d'Azur