Middleby: Filing 10-K/Amend Credit Agreement








THE MIDDLEBY CORPORATION FILES FORM 10-K AND AMENDS CREDIT 
AGREEMENTS 

Rolling Meadows, IL, April 5, 1999 - The Middleby Corporation
(NASDAQ: MIDD) today reported that it had filed its Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 1999 with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission.  The Company's filed financial 
statements included an audit adjustment of $300,000 on a pre-tax and
after-tax basis for translation adjustments related to its foreign 
subsidiary, Middleby Philippines Corporation, as compared to the 
results reported in its press release of February 22, 1999.  The 
adjustment increased the Company's net loss to $3,984,000, or $.37
per diluted share, for the fiscal year.

Further, the Company stated it had obtained waivers of defaults and
amendments of financial covenants for its senior note and revolving
credit line agreements.  

The Middleby Corporation is a leader in the design, manufacture, 
marketing and service of a broad line of equipment used for cooking
and preparation of food in commercial and institutional kitchens 
and restaurants throughout the world.  The Company's leading 
equipment brands include Middleby Marshall(R) (conveyor cooking
equipment), Southbend(R) (core cooking and steam cooking 
equipment), and Toastmaster(R) (counterline cooking and warming 
equipment).  Middleby's international subsidiary, Asbury 
Associates, Inc., is a leading exporter and distributor of 
foodservice equipment in the global marketplace and its 
international fabrication subsidiary, Middleby Philippines 
Corporation, is a leading supplier of specialty equipment in the
Asian markets.

For further information about Middleby, visit the Company's World
Wide Web site, http://www.middleby.com.

Contact:                John J. Hastings, The Middleby Corporation
                        847-758-3885                                           
                
                                
                


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