One question founded this Ghanaian school

For founder Melissa Obuobi, the answer was clear. Create a learning environment that combines high professional standards with greater access to world-class education, helping learners build careers, businesses, and futures through baking and pastry.

A question that became a mission

Melissa's inspiration for BGIG came while serving as a judge at the Pastry World Cup, where she witnessed firsthand the level of excellence required to compete on the global stage.

At the same time, she experienced the disappointment of seeing Ghana's team withdrawn from competition due to technical challenges, with inadequate preparation highlighting the need for stronger pathways to professional development.

"I was left asking myself: How do we prepare the next generation to be fully capable of meeting international standards at such a level?"

That question became a mission.

Founded to help bridge this gap, BGIG aims to provide rigorous, professional baking and pastry education that develops not only technical competence, but also confidence, professionalism, and the ability to pursue opportunities both within Ghana and internationally.

A vision of accessible excellence

At the heart of BGIG is a simple belief: professional excellence should be accessible to every learner with the ambition to achieve it. The school's vision is built on the idea that talent, ambition, and opportunity should determine how far a learner can go, not geography or circumstance.

By creating access to high-quality baking and pastry education, BGIG seeks to empower learners to build meaningful careers, launch businesses, and contribute to the growth of the hospitality and foodservice sectors both locally and globally.
‍

Bringing international standards closer to home

For Melissa, building a world-class institution meant looking to some of the world's most respected models of vocational education.

Switzerland has long been recognized for its strong apprenticeship culture, hospitality education system, and success on the international competition stage. Within the baking, pastry, and confectionery professions, the Richemont Centre of Excellence has earned a global reputation for developing talent and supporting some of the industry's highest standards of professional training.

As a training partner of Global Swiss Learning, Richemont's programs are made accessible to learners around the world, allowing schools such as BGIG to connect local talent with internationally recognized education and certifications.

For Melissa, this alignment was a natural fit.

"Global Swiss Learning's mission to bring Swiss-quality vocational education to the world aligns perfectly with our vision," she explains.

"Through GSL's partnership with Richemont, we have the opportunity to provide Ghanaian learners with access to world-class baking, pastry, and confectionery education while helping them prepare for opportunities both locally and internationally."

Looking ahead

As BGIG begins its journey, Melissa's ambitions extend far beyond the classroom.

She hopes to build a partnership defined by quality, integrity, and long-term impact while helping transform baking and pastry education in Ghana and across Africa. Her vision is one of increased access, stronger professional standards, and expanded opportunities for the next generation of baking and pastry professionals.

For Melissa, BGIG represents more than a new institution. It is an investment in people, potential, and the future of the profession.

Interested in bringing international standards to your learners?

👉 Discover how Global Swiss Learning helps schools and training institutions deliver internationally recognized hospitality, culinary, baking, and pastry education, click here.