By Terry Miller
Leave it to the hacks at FOX NEWS… On the announcement of the world-famous Le Cordon Bleu turning off school ovens, the self-described “fair and balanced” organization run by billionaire Rupert Murdoch said:
‘Their soufflé has flopped.”
We can think of many silly zingers like this but for area students who hope to get into the culinary business, this is a big blow in Pasadena.
Le Cordon Bleu announced it is closing all 16 of its culinary schools across the country.
CEC, Career Education Corporation—the for-profit parent company that owns the Cordon Bleu, said last week it will no longer enroll new students after Jan. 4, 2016, and will begin discontinuing operations.
Existing students will be able to finish their programs and all campuses are expected to remain open until September 2017 according to a press release.
“New federal regulations make it difficult to project the future for career schools that have higher operating costs, such as culinary schools that require expensive commercial kitchens and ongoing food costs,” said Todd Nelson, president and chief executive officer of Career Ed, in a news release. “Despite our best efforts to find a new caretaker for these well-renowned culinary colleges, we could not reach an agreement that we believe was in the best interests of both our students and our stockholders.”
The 115-year-old culinary brand, famous for teaching Julia Child in Paris, has enjoyed a stellar reputation. But the institution has at times came under fire by graduates who said the school lured in students with the promise of become chefs, when in reality few graduates obtain that position
Tuition runs between $16,000 and $42,500 a year, according to Le Cordon Bleu’s 2014-2015 catalog.
