Minneapolis Culinary School Receives Accreditation From American Culinary Federation Foundation

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts - Minneapolis/St. Paul, has received accreditation for their Associate of Applied Sciences (A.A.S) in Patisserie and baking program from the American Culinary Federation Foundation (ACFF) Accrediting Commission. The ACFF accreditation will last five years and signifies that the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Minneapolis/St. Paul patisserie and baking program has met or exceeded published industry standards, and thus demonstrated a commitment to providing quality curriculum.

"Since the start of the program our patisserie and baking classes have operated under the rigorous standards of quality and excellence for which Le Cordon Bleu is known," said Kevin Sanderson, president of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts - Minneapolis/St. Paul. "We are extremely excited that our students can now receive a degree from an accredited program that will attest to the strong skill set they master prior to graduating."

The 15-month patisserie and baking arts program is structured to expose students to a variety of different baking styles including breads, cakes and dessert service, chocolates and sugar show pieces. Upon completion of the comprehensive program, graduates are qualified for jobs as bakers, patissiers, or principle pastry chefs.

Kirk Bachmann, Vice President of Education and Corporate Executive Chef for Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, noted, "The accreditation that Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Minneapolis/St. Paul received from the ACFF is an honor and reaffirms the commitment of Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America to our students. We strive to provide our student chefs with the best possible instruction while attending classes, as well as the widest range of opportunities upon receipt of a degree from one of our schools."

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Minneapolis/St. Paul began in 1999 when another Career Education Corporation school, Brown College, partnered with the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Program. Beginning first as a certificate program, the school received accreditation for their Associate of Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts in 2002. Enrollment in the program increased, and in 2005 the programs originally offered as part of the Brown College curriculum were transferred into a separate entity, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Minneapolis/St. Paul. All courses are small in size and are taught by professional chefs to ensure that students receive individual attention and experience in a working kitchen.

About Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America

Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America is the largest provider of quality culinary arts education. Few institutions possess the distinguished reputation of Le Cordon Bleu, which established its first culinary school in Paris in 1895. Today, Le Cordon Bleu operates schools in London, Tokyo, Ottawa and Sydney in addition to its Paris location, and offers programs in Australia, Mexico and Brazil. There are currently 13 schools in the Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America network, offering programs in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie & Baking, and Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality & Restaurant Management. For more information, please visit http://www.lecordonbleuschoolsusa.com/ .

About Career Education Corporation

The colleges, schools and universities that are part of the Career Education Corporation (CEC) family offer high quality education to more than 85,000 students across the world in a variety of career-oriented disciplines. The 80-plus campuses that serve these students are located throughout the U.S., Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates and offer doctoral, master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees and diploma and certificate programs. Approximately one third of students attend the web-based virtual campuses of American InterContinental University Online and Colorado Technical University Online.

For more information see http://www.careered.com/ . The company's website also has a detailed listing of individual campus locations and web links for its 80-plus colleges, schools and universities.

  Contact:
  Kirk T. Bachmann C.E.C. M.Ed.
  Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America
  847-585-3870 or kbachmann@careered.com

  Theresa Hopkins
  Director of Culinary Relations
  Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America
  847-585-3733 or thopkins@careered.com