As America's taste for fine cuisine grew in the 1980s, so too did the demand for professionally trained chefs.

In 1983, two businessmen in the Portland, Oregon, area—Horst Mager (famous for his Rheinlander restaurants and yearly Oktoberfest celebration) and Donald Waldbauer—teamed up to establish the Western Culinary Institute cooking school.

Originally called the Horst Mager Culinary Institute, the school quickly gained a reputation for its culinary arts program, and its quality, hands-on curriculum attracted students from throughout the United States and the world.

In 1986, the culinary school adopted its current name, Western Culinary Institute, to better reflect its geographic location in Oregon and its reputation as a nationally recognized culinary institute.

Ten years later, Western Culinary Institute became part of a nationwide network of career schools known for its quality curricula and ability to assist graduating students with career opportunities within their chosen fields.

And in 1999, more prestige came with another affiliation: Western Culinary Institute formed a partnership with the famous Le Cordon Bleu. As a result, all Western Culinary Institute students today can graduate with a coveted Le Cordon Bleu Diplôme in addition to the Associate of Occupational Studies degrees in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality & Restaurant Management, or Le Cordon Bleu Pâtisserie & Baking.

In 2000, Western Culinary Institute was approved for an Associate of Occupational Studies degree and later became the first school in America to offer the coveted Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality & Restaurant Management Program.

To learn more about Western Culinary Institute, please contact us today.

History
Have you ever wondered where Julia Child received her culinary training? The famous chef earned her toque in 1950 at Le Cordon Bleu - Paris and then went on to revolutionize the teaching of French cooking in the United States.

Few institutions possess the prestige of Le Cordon Bleu. Its internationally renowned culinary arts curriculum has become synonymous with expertise, innovation, tradition, and refinement—qualities meticulously nurtured by the school.

Le Cordon Bleu was founded as a cooking school in Paris in 1895. Its name traces to a high honor bestowed upon members of the Order of the Holy Spirit by King Henry III in the 1500s.

The awarded medallion, called the Cross of the Holy Spirit, was suspended from a blue ribbon (Le Cordon Bleu).

At the end of the 19th century, a collection of recipes called La Cuisiniere Cordon Bleu was published to much acclaim. The book's success prompted its publisher to open a cooking school with the Le Cordon Bleu designation.

The school's reputation spread fast, both in France and internationally. Since then, it's become one of the world's leading culinary arts institutions, and students throughout the world have trained in the Le Cordon Bleu culinary arts.

Le Cordon Bleu and Western Culinary Institute
Le Cordon Bleu's arrival in the United States ushered in a new type of culinary school that combines classical European techniques with modern American technology and training.

With the union of Western Culinary Institute and Le Cordon Bleu, graduates receive not only an Associate of Occupational Studies Degree or a diploma, but also the coveted Le Cordon Bleu Diplôme.

For more information about Western Culinary Institute or Le Cordon Bleu, contact us today.