Antonio Carluccio, owner of the 10-strong Carluccio's Caffès, has founded his own chefs' school, Scuola per Cuochi, in conjunction with Westminster Kingsway College.
It will teach Italian cooking to up-and-coming chefs across the caffè chain, with 12 hand-picked candidates initially undertaking a 14-week course at the college's school of hospitality.
All the equipment and supplies required on the course will be provided by Carluccio's, resulting in a combined cost of £25,000.
The program, which will run three times a year, will feature an introduction from Carluccio about the principles of Italian eating, regional food and the importance of using quality ingredients.
Other lessons will be led by Jon Pratt, the college's head of division, hospitality studies, and will cover butchery, the preparation of stocks and sauces, fish and shellfish, poultry, bakery, pastry and soups.
"We feel that the training and development of our employees is of paramount importance if we are to continue to offer a quality product as we grow," said Carluccio.