The project was unveiled by secretary of state for the economy Francine Closener at the inauguration of Luxembourg’s Springbreak on Wednesday afternoon.

Closener said the institute would be complementary to the Diekirch Alexis Heck hotel school, since it focuses on lifelong training in cutting-edge gastronomy to meet the high standard needs of the restaurant sector in Luxembourg (Luxembourg has 11 Michelin-starred restaurants and 14 restaurants with a Bib Gourmand).

Closener also revealed that cafés and bistros will in future be eligible for investment benefits under a law being drafted for SMEs.

Diekirch hotel school changes

Gastronomy appeared to be a hot topic in politics on Wednesday as parliament discussed the expansion of the Diekirch Alexis Heck hotel school, which under a draft bill will be rebranded the school of hotel and tourism in Luxembourg.

If approved, the bill would enable the centre to offer two-year professional BTS diplomas and continuous professional training and specific qualifications. At present, it offers only professional aptitude diplomas (DAP) and technician diplomas.

The bill also proposes relaxing the criteria for teaching staff, which the school struggles to find. While discussions are ongoing, the bill proposes allowing the recruitment of teachers provided they have five years experiences in the same field in any EU member state and have achieved B2 level in at least one of the three administrative languages of Luxembourg.