SCOTTSDALE CULINARY INSTITUTE OFFERS FAT TUESDAY DISH FOR A CAUSE

Local Culinary School Supports New Orleans Farmers Market and Other Worthy Events

Scottsdale, Ariz. (February 5, 2008) - Scottsdale Culinary Institute and its 13 sister culinary schools in the Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America family have joined forces to support the ongoing efforts to restore the Gulf Coast region and New Orleans. During the week of Fat Tuesday, February 3 to 7, the schools will feature Cajun and Creole dishes on the menus at their student-run restaurants, which are open to the public. Proceeds of the national “Give-Back” project will support the Crescent City Farmers Market in New Orleans.

“We are proud to reach out on a national level to help revitalize a city like New Orleans, which is known for its culinary brilliance,” said Tracey Epel, president of Scottsdale Culinary Institute. “Our students and faculty have always been highly active in the community, lending support to a number of truly worthy causes.”

For instance, with the Super Bowl in Phoenix this year, the school recently stepped up to participate in the annual Taste of the NFL, the Party with a Purpose™ which raises money to battle hunger across the country. More than 200 students and faculty volunteered to provide kitchen and serving support for the event.

SCI's Fat Tuesday menu, which features Blackened Striped Sea Bass on White Cheddar Grits with a Creole Sauce, will be available at both of its student-run restaurants. L'Academie is located on the second level of Old Town Scottsdale's Galleria building at 4301 North Scottsdale Road and L'Ecole is located at 8100 East Camelback Road. Lunch hours at both restaurants are from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner is served from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Reservations are preferred and can be made by calling (480) 425-3111 or by visiting www.dinewithsci.com.

About Crescent City Farmers Market
According to the Economics Institute at Loyola University New Orleans, the Crescent City Farmers Market has changed the way the people of New Orleans shop and eat, how they spend their Saturday mornings, and their awareness of their dependence upon regional growers, fishers, and other food producers. Last year, the Crescent City Farmers Market—now open four days a week at four locations throughout New Orleans — directly impacted the bottom line of more than 60 local farmers and fishers, enabling them to achieve an economic stability—and profitability—they once could only imagine.

About Scottsdale Culinary Institute
The goal of Scottsdale Culinary Institute is to be a leader in innovative culinary education. The school offers certificate, specialized associate degree, and bachelor degree programs in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality and Restaurant Management, and Le Cordon Bleu Pâtisserie and Baking. All credential levels are not available for all programs. The Le Cordon Bleu curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning, and is delivered by skilled and caring faculty. SCI promotes the professional growth of its students while fostering a mutual commitment between the school and the community. For more information, visit www.chefs.edu.

About Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America
Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America is the largest provider of quality culinary arts education with 14 affiliate schools throughout the United States. Few institutions possess the distinguished reputation of Le Cordon Bleu, which established its first culinary school in Paris in 1895. For more information about Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, go to www.lecordonbleuschoolsusa.com.