Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago Accreditation Through 2018

Maximum Possible Extension from The Higher Learning Commission

Chicago, IL (EMWNews) July 17, 2008 — The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (CHIC) announced today that The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools has extended the school’s accreditation until 2018, the maximum possible extension achievable for all institutions of higher learning between comprehensive HLC evaluations.

CHIC’s request for continuing accreditation was supported by its institutional Self-Study Report, the product of a two-year rigorous self-examination of the culinary institute’s programs and services. Accreditation by the Commission provides assurance to the public, in particular to prospective students, that an organization has been found to meet the agency’s clearly stated requirements and criteria.

CHIC President, Lloyd Kirsch, said, “This a testament to the efforts of the entire CHIC team on behalf of our students. Combined with our seven-year programmatic accreditation from the American Culinary Federation, CHIC now offers one of the highest levels of accreditation of any culinary school in the nation.”

Accreditation is a rigorous peer-review process that requires self-evaluation and onsite visits. “We sincerely appreciate our faculty and staff for this landmark accomplishment and look forward to raising the bar for even greater student outcomes.” said vice president of academic affairs and student services, Chef Marshall Shafkowitz. CHIC accreditation will continue until May 8, 2018.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation and one of two Commission members of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), which was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The Higher Learning Commission accredits, and thereby grants membership in the Commission and in the North Central Association, to degree-granting educational institutions in the North Central region: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. HLC is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

About The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago

The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (CHIC) was founded in May of 1983 by Linda Calafiore, a passionate cook who wanted to share her love of great food. In June 2000, The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago was invited to become affiliated with Le Cordon Bleu, one of the world’s best known culinary education programs. To date, The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago has graduated thousands of professional cooks, bakers, and aspiring chefs who are now staffing some of the most prestigious restaurants in Chicago and the nation. The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago is a member of the Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO) network of universities, colleges and schools. For more information about CHIC, go to www.chic.edu or call 312-944-0882.

Contact:

Maria A. Calafiore

The Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago

mcalafiore @ chicnet.org

(312)873-2018