Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School Class Action Settlement

By Anne Bucher | April 18, 2018

Category: Closed Class Actions

This settlement is closed!

Please see what other class action settlements you might qualify to claim cash from in our Open Settlements directory!

Chef finishing her salad in culinary class in kitchen

A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit alleging Western Culinary Institute Ltd., Le Cordon Bleu North America LLC and Career Education Corporation failed to disclose certain information about the nature and value of the education offered to students at Le Cordon Bleu Portland (formerly called Western Culinary Institute).

If you were a former student enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu Portland at any time from March 5, 2006 to March 1, 2010, you may be entitled to payment from the class action settlement.

Plaintiff Nathan Surrett filed the Le Cordon Bleu class action lawsuit on March 5, 2008, accusing the culinary school of violations of Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act, fraud, and other claims. He alleges Le Cordon Bleu overstated the value of its culinary arts training program.

According to the Le Cordon Bleu class action lawsuit, students were allegedly duped into spending thousands of dollars to attend the school, or taking out high-interest loans, only to find that they were only qualified for entry-level jobs that do not require a degree. Le Cordon Bleu Portland graduates claim they believed they would receive training that would qualify them to attain careers as chefs or restaurant owners.

Instead, Le Cordon Bleu Portland graduates allegedly found themselves working as bussers, bartenders or dishwashers. Some graduates complained that prospective employers informed them that a degree from Le Cordon Bleu was worthless.

Le Cordon Bleu reportedly had 16 locations across the United States before it shut down in 2017.

The Le Cordon Bleu class action settlement was preliminarily approved on Feb. 8, 2018.

The deadline to opt out of or object to the Le Cordon Bleu class action settlement is May 8, 2018.

Who’s Eligible

Class Members of the Western Culinary Institute settlement include all former students who enrolled at and attended Le Cordon Bleu Portland from March 5, 2006 to March 1, 2010. NOTE: The Le Cordon Bleu settlement only affects those Class Members who did not sign an agreement expressly waiving their right to pursue class action litigation (the “Settlement Subclass”).

Potential Award

Varies.

Class Members who submit timely and valid Claim Forms are entitled to a payment of 44 percent of the total amount they paid to Le Cordon Bleu Portland.

The defendants have also agreed that they will not seek to collect on amounts owed by members of the settlement subclass.

Proof of Purchase

Claimants must provide the Claim ID from the Claim Package they received in the mail. If you did not receive a Claim Package in the mail but you believe you qualify as a Class Member of the Le Cordon Bleu Portland settlement, contact the Settlement Administrator.

Claim Form

CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

6/7/2018

NOTE: Claim Forms must be received by the Settlement Administrator by June 7, 2018. Claim Forms that are postmarked by the Claim Form deadline but which have not been received by the deadline will not be accepted.

Case Name

Nathan Surrett, et al. v. Western Culinary Institute Ltd., et al., Case No. 0803-03530, in the Circuit Court for the State of Oregon, County of Multnomah