Though it won't open until next year, Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Academy of World Cuisines has just appointed its master chef instructor to ensure that the academy matches up to the world-renowned culinary institute's standards.

Chef Fabrice Danniel, who has extensive experience in several prestigious restaurants in France and beyond, is the man who's been chosen for the job. Born in Antibes in the south of France, Danniel worked his way up to positions at Michelin-starred restaurants like Le Pavillion Elysee and Lucas Carton after graduating from the Clermont cooking school in 1985.

He moved abroad to work as head pastry chef at the Le Fleuron restaurant in Lebanon's luxury hotel, Les Suites, but his education was far from over. He continued to develop his skills as a patissier with desserts, chocolate and ice cream, earning a Master of Patisserie Diploma from the Chambre des Metiers de la Seine Maritime in 1997.

After stints overseas, Danniel returned to France and joined a select staff of teaching chefs at Le Cordon Bleu in 2003.

His duties in Bangkok will include drawing up a curriculum, creating special courses and controlling the grading system. He'll also be in the kitchen, overseeing hygiene, safety training and the budget for the academy.

Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Academy of World Cuisines will offer various courses, open to non-professionals who want to learn how to cook or to know more about food. They will range from nine-month courses on classic French cuisine and patisseries to shorter introductions to wine appreciation, as well as a barista or coffee-making course. Running alongside these will be its standard gourmet and world cuisine courses.

Gourmands might be interested to learn that Danniel will also be creating the menus at Le Cordon Bleu at Dusit, a restaurant-training centre for students which will also be open to the public.