Imagine having a team of culinary experts at your disposal: a baker, pastry chef, saucier and even a sommelier. At the Ritz Paris — arguably the most famous hotel in the world, and inarguably one of our favorites — such masters are at your service. Ecole Ritz Escoffier (named after Auguste Escoffier, the hotel's first head chef) was designed to train future professionals as well as amateur gourmets. From technique to presentation, classes present the basics of French gastronomy in an informal setting. Under the direction of the current Ritz Paris head chef Michel Roth, a variety of courses are available, including half-day seasonal workshops (Autumn Mushrooms, Christmas Dinner), meetings with winemakers over cookery demonstrations, food and wine pairings and specialty classes, such as The Magic of Molecular Cooking.