I been asked by several high school students interested in going to cooking school about Le Cordon Bleu’s Culinary Arts school and various programs so I thought I would write a little about their history and philosophy.

The school dates back to the end of the 19th century when a French journalist by the name of Marthe Distel started La Cuisiniere Cordon Blue, a weekly publication about cooking. She would ask famous chefs to offer up their recipes and teach their subscribers the art of French cooking by following along with the recipes and cooking tips. This cooking magazine continued for over 70 years and became one of the biggest French recipe collections in the world.

Marthe Distel realized her subscribers wanted more so she started live cooking classes for them. Now they had an opportunity to learn from the Chefs in person watching the chef’s every move. The first class was held on January 14, 1896 at the Palais Royal and the classes were an instant success.

As the reputation of the school grew, students from everywhere wanted to enroll. In 1897 they had their first Russian student and then in 1905 their first Japanese student. As the popularity grew, the demand for schools outside of France grew. In 1933, Rosemary Hume, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, opened a school in London.

After World War II, Le Cordon Bleu was accredited by the Pentagon for training GI’s in culinary arts after their tour of duty. One famous graduate from this program was former OSS member Julia Child who graduated in 1950 and we all know what she went on to create.

Growth & New Schools

The school continues to grow around the world especially in the United States. There are now 13 Le Cordon Bleu schools scattered around the US. You can see all of them at US Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Schools.

There are also Le Cordon Bleu schools in Australia, South Korea, Canada, Japan, and Peru with a school opening in Bangkok in this year and New Zealand in 2009.

Famous Alumni Chefs

Besides the 18,000 students who go to Le Cordon Bleu each year, there are a few famous chefs who have graduated. Did you know that besides Julia Child, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Nacy Silverton, Giada De Laurentiis and Ming Tsai are some of the many notable Le Cordon Bleu alumni?

So Where Does the Name Come From

Translated from French, Le Cordon Bleu means Blue Ribbon and comes from a group of elite knights who called themselves L’Ordre des Chevaliers d’Saint Espirit  or The Order of the Holy Spirit who wore a sash of blue ribbon to let everyone know who they were. They would throw huge dinner parties where nothing was too good for them and over time, the term Cordon Bleu was associated with anyone who excelled in their individual field. Who hasn’t heard of a “blue ribbon” award? In France, the term became associated with top chefs and has become the symbol of excellence at Le Cordon Bleu. 

If you are interested in learn more about any of the Le Cordon Bleu schools in the US, please visit my Le Cordon Bleu web page. Click on a school, read about it and if you would like a representative from the school to contact you to answer questions or send you an application, just click on the “For More Free School Info” button.