Le Cordon Bleu

I recently was released from prison for an assault in the 2^nd degree, a drunken fight that involved strangulation. I’ve been out since October 6^th, within 2 weeks I got hired at the 5 star restaurant Mortons the Steakhouse in downtown seattle as a chef.
I applied at le cordon bleu this january 5^th, in attempt to better my future career in the restaurant industry in hopes of becoming either a su or head chef and in hopes of one day either being a live-​in private chef, or opening my own restaurant. Desiring their associate arts science: culinary arts degree.
I am eligible for financial aid, grants, and loans to pay their $ 40,050.00 college tuition fee’s, but was denied admittance to their facilities and was rejected. They sent me a letter saying due to my criminal background check I was not going to be accepted.
What is wrong with this picture? Everyone I know, my family, my boss’s, my friends… all say how disgusting it is that a school won’t teach someone how to be a chef, to get their lives on track, better their future, when willing to pay 40k? I did 2 years in prison, I served my time, I already am a chef, being a chef is one of the few jobs left available for felons and le cordon bleu won’t let me train to be one of the best.
You people should be ashamed of yourselves.

It was a really bad experience, i was attending the baking program but I will deff be continuing my education elsewhere no problem :) I don’t want to be patronized when I ask for help from my teacher, that’s why I am in school, to learn right? I mean my career advisor counselor didn’t even show up to our appointment! Jesus, glad I dropped out before It was to late! I’m sure if I had a different teacher and I dealt with different staff I would have been happy and a better experience, i mean I put in hard work, and it’s a lot of money to spend on my education so expected a way better experience. I’m very passionate about what I want to do and they almost ruined that with the crappy attitudes and feeling like they just wanted my money.

OK I may be showing a bit of favoritism here! My talented wife goes to the LCB and she is having a blast, she learns more and more every day. They have a really helpful staff and it was easy to sign up for school, ask for Sara she will take care of you right. The school is modern and well equipped and the Chefs so far are pretty good, but you only get out of the school what you put in. If your there without a passion for the art of cooking then you will do bad, if you are a foodie and just love it and want to be a chef than I urge you to check it out for yourself.

Came here for a tour and I had the tour with Sandra. She was very friendly and professional. The building is small, but classroom kitchens are pretty good in size. When you walk in theres a display of fondant/​sugar cakes and sculptures. They didnt look that good. There was only one that was really nice and it was a finding nemo cake, made by a student named Jonathan.
During the tour, Sandra showed us the different classroom kitchens, computer room and even met with some of the master chefs who were very serious yet awkwardly inviting. We asked her several questions and for about more than half she had no idea the answer to. She doesnt seem like a big food person to be an advisor for the school… kinda odd. I felt that if they had someone else more fit for the position, such as someone who went to that school or has a joy in baking or cooking would have been more fit to tour the school to us.
Overall, it was kind of boring and I dont think I will be enrolling to this school.
The front desk staff was very friendly too. I just feel like I couldve enjoyed a better tour if it was someone that actually knew the simple questions we asked like, «Does any of the master chefs have their own restaurants or ever had their own restaurants?»
=/​was really looking forward to the tour, but very disappointed.

Being a foodie and wanting expand my culinary prowess, I enrolled at the school that Julia Child made famous, Le Cordon Bleu (LCB), meaning Blue Ribbon. I will complete the culinary course in Dec 2012, afterwhich I will recieve a culinary certificate. The chef instructors are awsome and very knowledgeable in their respective fields (either baker or culinary). The staff here is also awsome and very accomodating. They teach you the basics, as well as, actual kitchen experience. They will even help you find a job after your all done. After changing career fields, I needed some schooling that would get me hired and do something everyday that I truely love and LCB is truely training me to do this. Look for me at a restaurant near you and ask for Chef Allan!

This «college» promises a lot of things it has no intention of delivering or can’t deliver. I would have gladly spent $ 5k for what I got out of it, but unfortunately I spent $ 20k+ — this is «Intro to Cooking 101» at its best.
There are some very cool chef instructors working here.

Took a tour of the school… FINALLY they have a Seattle location! Really amazing stuff the students whip up there. Staff is friendly and helpful. Anyone interested in the culinary field I would definitely recommend this school.

Don’t let the word «college» in the name fool you — this is a trade school through and through, and a mediocre one at that.
There are some great chef instructors at the school who are passionate about students learning and want to share their knowledge and love of food. There are also a few chef instructors who are on power trips about being «Chefs» and spend their time belittling the students and proving how much more they know.
The big problem with this place is the administration. Since this is a for-​profit corporation, educational decisions are made according to corporate dictate, even if it’s not best for the students or even contradicts what the school has said it will provide. The curriculum is constantly in flux and seems to change every day, which makes it difficult to study and plan ahead for. Provisions aren’t always on hand or ordered on time, so there are constant last-​minute changes to what is supposed to be/​can be cooked — frustrating for the chefs and students alike. The school’s career counselor is almost always late for meetings or doesn’t show up at all. And the admissions reps outline skills, classes and products that the school either can’t deliver or has no intention of delivering, in order to get students to sign up —
In spite of all this, I had fun and am a better cook than when I entered the program. But since I’ve been out of school, I’ve worked with people who recently graduated from programs at Seattle Central, the Art Institute and other locations that seem to have better product and equipment knowledge and more proficiency than my classmates and me.
If I had it to do over again, I’d shop around more and would probably choose one of those programs over Le Cordon Bleu. It has a famous name, but the value I got out of the place for the tuition I paid, doesn’t match up.