BCPS Brings Real Restaurant Experience into Culinary Education Through KŌRO Bali

Established in 2016 with just six students, Bali Culinary Pastry School (BCPS) has grown into a professional vocational institution specialising in Culinary, Bakery, and Pastry Arts, based in Nyanyi, Tabanan, Bali. The school focuses on practical training, professional development, and giving students opportunities to gain experience in the industry.

Over the past decade, BCPS has trained more than 1,000 graduates through its full-time and non-full-time programs, welcoming students from 66 cities across Indonesia and 12 nationalities. BCPS holds its main annual intake every July, welcoming new students into its professional programs and beginning their training in culinary and hospitality.

International exposure has also become an important part of the school’s programs. Since 2023, more than 60 BCPS students have completed six-month internships in France, Italy, and Hong Kong, gaining experience at renowned establishments, including Relais & Châteaux properties and Michelin-starred restaurants.

In 2025, BCPS student Yovita Ariandini secured a full-time position as Commis de Cuisine at Michelin-starred Restaurant Paul Bocuse following her internship. Her achievement marked a significant milestone for BCPS, as she became the first Indonesian to work at the historic restaurant, which has been part of Lyon’s culinary heritage for more than 100 years. It also reflects the school’s commitment to connecting Indonesian students with international career opportunities.

A Decade of Building Opportunities
For BCPS Founder Made Ariani Siswanto, the school’s development has always been about more than culinary skills.

“BCPS was never meant to be just a school. It was built on the belief that education is a form of stewardship — a way to preserve legacy while giving the next generation the skills, confidence, and global perspective to move forward. Inspired by my late father’s vision for BITDeC, BCPS continues to grow as a place where young people are given real opportunities to transform their lives and contribute meaningfully to the world, while remaining grounded in Balinese values,” said Made Ariani Siswanto, Founder BCPS.

As part of its commitment to making professional education more accessible, BCPS has introduced full scholarships for students with limited access to formal training and continues to work with local partners to support children from rural Balinese communities.

Learning Through Skills and Attitude
The school’s daily teaching approach is inspired by the French philosophy of savoir-faire and savoir-être, combining technical skills with the right professional attitude. Under the guidance of M.O.F. (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) Christophe Quantin as Pedagogy Advisor, students learn through structured repetition, precise gestures, and the integration of skills, knowledge, and attitude.

The approach goes beyond learning recipes and techniques. Students are taught how to work, think, communicate, and perform in a professional environment, helping them build the skills and mindset needed to meet industry standards.

Taking Learning Into the Real Restaurant
That foundation continues beyond the classroom. BCPS extends the learning experience into a real restaurant environment at KŌRO Bali, giving students the opportunity to experience professional restaurant operations as part of their education.

“We believe that meaningful education should not be limited to the classroom. It should give students the opportunity to understand the industry, experience it, and grow in a real environment. KŌRO Bali is part of that vision — bringing education and the real restaurant world closer together, so students can learn not only from the classroom, but from the people, challenges, and experiences they encounter every day,” said Made Ariani Siswanto, Founder of Bali Culinary Pastry School.

Students enrolled in BCPS’s 18-month Professional Chef & Entrepreneurship and 12-month Career Access Professional programs will have the opportunity to learn directly in KŌRO Bali’s live restaurant environment as part of their coursework, working alongside the restaurant’s professional chefs and mentors.

BCPS welcomes students from different backgrounds, with no previous culinary experience, as long as they have a genuine passion and motivation to pursue their career in the culinary industry.

Before stepping into KŌRO’s kitchen and dining floor, students first build their foundation at BCPS through intensive hands-on training. They learn the basics of working in a professional kitchen while developing their technical skills, discipline, confidence, and professional habits.

Once they are ready, students begin their weekly training at KŌRO while continuing their classes and practical training at BCPS. This gives them the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice and gradually become familiar with the pace and standards of a working restaurant.

Learning Across the Restaurant
At KŌRO, students are assigned to specific stations and experience more than just kitchen production. They are introduced to the wider restaurant operation, including service and guest interaction, allowing them to develop both culinary and hospitality skills.

Chefs at KŌRO also give students practical challenges and real situations to work through. Rather than simply following instructions, students are encouraged to think, solve problems, make decisions, and learn from what happens during daily restaurant operations.

Each student follows a training plan developed with their mentor, with clear skills and milestones to work towards. This keeps the experience focused on learning and development, rather than simply helping with daily tasks.

Learning Goes Both Ways
The experience is not only about what students learn from the chefs. It also gives the chefs and mentors at KŌRO an opportunity to grow through teaching and sharing their knowledge and experience.

Guiding students encourages them to share their knowledge, improve the way they teach, and continuously challenge themselves to find better ways to develop the next generation of culinary professionals. The model creates a two-way learning environment where both students and mentors continue to learn and grow through the experience.

Bringing Education and Industry Closer Together
Unlike a conventional internship, where students typically enter the industry after completing their classroom training, the BCPS–KŌRO model brings real restaurant experience into the curriculum itself.

Students move between BCPS and KŌRO as part of their learning journey, giving them the opportunity to connect classroom knowledge with real work, real guests, and real service. The aim is simple: to prepare students not only to know how to cook or bake, but to understand what it takes to work and grow in the professional hospitality industry.

For BCPS, education does not end when students leave the classroom. It continues inside the working environment, where students can learn from the people, situations, and challenges that are part of the industry every day.

Continuing to Expand the Learning Journey
As BCPS enters its 10th year, the school is also expanding its specialised education offering through the Bali Chocolatier Pâtissier Professional School, developed in collaboration with Valrhona.

The program is designed for professionals and students who already have a basic foundation in pastry and chocolate, with a focus on developing advanced chocolate and pastry skills. It brings together BCPS’s vocational training approach with Valrhona’s expertise in chocolate, creating a specialised pathway for those looking to deepen their knowledge and develop their careers in the field.

The program is believed to be the world’s first chocolate pastry program developed in collaboration with Valrhona, and is set to become one of BCPS’s flagship specialised programs.

With its practical training, international industry exposure, specialised programs, and learning experience at KŌRO Bali, BCPS continues to develop new ways of connecting education with the profession. After ten years of building opportunities for students in Bali and beyond, the school remains focused on preparing the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals to take their skills from Bali to the world.