The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (CHIC), an affiliate of Le Cordon Bleu, was founded in 1983. The school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is located in Chicago, Illinois. CHIC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and Certificate Program in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Le Cordon Bleu Pâtisserie and Baking. The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago was founded in May 1983. The school was designed to prepare students for careers in the culinary arts. Linda Calafiore, a successful cook, established the school using traditional European teaching methods. Since its opening, the school has had thousands of graduates, many of whom went on to work in restaurants around the nation. The school expanded in 1989 and received degree-granting authorization in 1991. The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago was acquired on February 1, 2000, by the Career Education Corporation. In June 2000, the school became affiliated with Le Cordon Bleu. The Higher Learning Commission accredited CHIC in 2003. The campus was again expanded in 2004.