[alaminute]

Soooo one of my cooks came in today telling me about how everyone at her lcb were rounded up and told how all locations are closing. So I found this http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/12/le-cordon-bleu-closing-usa.html . Crazy. While I've always been with the camp saying the price was totally disproportionate to the expected income and that , generally, cooking schools have an unrealistic approach to the industry- I'm kind of sad to here this. This does not bode well for a more educated workforce.

 

[kuan]

Can't say I'm surprised.

 

[chefross]

Agreed, LCB had a bad rap from the beginning. Frankly I am glad that those who graduated from this culinary nightmare finally has their eyes open.

 

[flipflopgirl]

I wonder why there is no immediate shut down?

Have they already spent the incoming (and final) tuition on fancy cars and vacation homes?

What kind of education will be offered when all the instructors have their minds on their next jobs?

That is if they even stick around....

mimi

 

[kuan]

I know LCB took over California Culinary Academy.  I was totally shaking my head when that happened.

Did they do Scottsdale, Sullivan?

 

[resamarie]

Most of the instructors are contracted, so they won't be jumping ship. There are still many students that need to finish, which is why they aren't immediately shutting down. I, for one, would be very upset if they did. I want to finish this out and get my degree that I have already half paid for. They aren't accepting any new students beyond January 2016 and all doors shut completely, as of September 2017. The only thing I can say is that this is the time to build networks for those of us still there. ACF meetings and membership have just moved up to the top of my priority list.

 

[alaminute]

I don't know who Sullivan is, but SCI -or the Scottsdale culinary institute- which was once catalogued with the best in the nation was bought out by LCB about five or six years ago. It was a tough blow to the school and it was commonly accepted that it was a significant turn for the worse.

 

[phaedrus]

Sad but not surprising. LCB was a pretty respectable school at one time but I know they lost accreditation a few years back. Instead of a real AAS they were just handing out certificates/diplomas. I've worked with a fairly steady stream of LCB grads since they have a location in the Twin Cities, not far from me. I can say that the level of education and preparedness took a nosedive about five years ago. The kids coming out of there now are taught next to nothing. My niece went there a couple years ago and told me they aren't really taught any butchering or fabrication to speak of- they watch a guy butcher a pig and that's about it. I'd be royally pissed if I paid my $30,000 and learned less than I could have from just picking up Alton Brown's Good Eats on DVD.

 

[kuan]

Twin Cities, not far from me.

Eh? Where are you? I'm in MSP.

 

[chefsing]

Greetings all-

Long time reader first time poster.

I am a graduate of LCB Chicago and not surprised by this news at all.  During my program there it was originally just the Cooking and Hospitality Institute but halfway through the program the LCB program took over so my AAS is labed as a LCB degree.  As a for profit college they have very aggressive recruiting tactics and I feel like another victim from them choosing to go there and incur massive debts as a naive 18 year old.  My intentions entire life has always to be a chef and I sourced many schools and I do not regret going to culinary school, but I will say that my classes did not prepare me for the real world at all.  I feel like I am a small percentage of people who has come from there and made a respectable name for myself and for the business I am in, but nothing that came from that school gave me anything that I could not have learned by working as a line cook for 10 years.  In order to get a leg up in the hospitality business and further my career I made the decision to go back to school and further a degree in business as a means to find a worthwhile career worth more than a $10/hr job to pay off these loans.  I have made every career move choice by the book and I hope my future career does not suffer by having my own name affiliated with this program.  Cheers to all you other chefs out there looking to source quality cooks in the future who are hungry culinary grads.

-Steven

 

[phaedrus]

Eh? Where are you? I'm in MSP.

I'll PM you. My favorite thing about CT is venting about work somewhat anonymously./img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

 

[kslim]

i tried creating a thread for this, and basically got ripped apart. But i keep hearing about how if you graduated from le cordon bleu that you can now get half or the majority of your student loans paid off through the state as long as you took them out through them. Basically it had something to do with that lawsuit that happened a few years ago or something, but i cant seem to find any information online on how to do this. 

i mean to be blunt im not to thrilled that i still owe thousands to a school that has been sued and is now closing nation wide. Any one else hear about this or have any information???

 

[grande]

http://www.schoolscamlawyer.com/le-...hool-scam-fraud-40-million-dollar-settlement/

According to this site it was CCA specific, but I don't think that's the only lawsuit