Career Education Corporation (CEC) and Le Cordon Bleu announced plans in October 1998 to forge a partnership and significantly expand CEC's culinary schools in North America.

"Matching classical French culinary techniques with the modern American training emphasized by CEC will greatly enhance culinary education for our students in North America," said Nick Fluge, CEC's chief operating officer of the Le Cordon Bleu Schools, North America. "Career Education Corporation has built a reputation for delivering a cutting-edge education to its students and Le Cordon Bleu brings the oldest and best known culinary name in the world."

Besides the new school at Brown Institute, CEC now offers culinary arts programs at its schools in Portland, Pittsburgh, Scottsdale, South Pasadena and Dover, New Hampshire. Eventually, all CEC culinary schools in North America will have the Le Cordon Bleu designation.

"Career Education Corporation is also looking at other locations in North America," Fluge said. "We expect to become a dominant force in culinary education."

Executive Chef Urbano Salvati, the chair of Brown's culinary department, will head the new school. Chef Salvati has more than 18 years experience as an executive chef, most recently as an instructor at another CEC culinary school, Western Culinary Institute, Portland, Oregon.

Ronald G. Anderson, president of Brown Institute, said that as part of their education, the students will operate their own restaurant, the Minnesota Room.

"The Minnesota Room will be operated as a full service fine dining restaurant in which students are responsible for the operation of the restaurant including serving as the chefs, management and maitre d'hotel."

The 52-year old Brown Institute is one of 13 schools and 22 campuses in 14 states and two Canadian provinces owned by Career Education Corporation, one of the largest providers of private, post secondary education in North America. The Company's schools enjoy long operating histories and offer a wide variety of bachelor's degree, associate degree and diploma programs in career-oriented disciplines within CEC's core curricula of culinary arts, information technology, visual communications and design technologies, and business studies. For additional information regarding Brown Institute and the Midwest Culinary Academy, please call 800-627-6966.