Exhibit 99.1

                  Certification of Principal Executive Officer
                           Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350
                 (Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002)

I, Selim A. Bassoul, President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive
officer) of The Middleby Corporation (the "registrant"), certify, to the best of
my knowledge, based upon a review of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
period ended June 29, 2002 of the Registrant (the "report"), that:

            (1)   The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section
                  13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

            (2)   The information contained in the Report fairly represents, in
                  all material aspects, the financial condition and results of
                  operations of the Registrant.


/s/ Selim A. Bassoul
- --------------------

Selim A. Bassoul
August 19, 2002