NOCHI — Training the next generation of New Orleans cooks

By Torryionna Miller • Dec. 21, 2025

The New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute was founded on a simple idea: New Orleans deserved a place to train the next generation of cooks, bakers, and hospitality leaders. Situated in the Warehouse District, the institute became a home for people who wanted to learn the craft of cooking while staying grounded in the culture that makes Louisiana food what it is.

NOCHI serves as both a culinary school and a space for people to connect with food. Students, chefs, and locals share one belief: food is history and identity. Inside the teaching kitchens and classrooms, people arrive from everywhere with a common purpose—learning the traditions and techniques of New Orleans cuisine.

As instructors and students built the program, the campus took on its personality. Every kitchen lab runs like a real restaurant line. Every class pushes students to understand not just how to cook, but why ingredients matter—and how culture influences a plate.

The restaurant connected to the institute became an extension of that lesson. Guests taste the work happening behind the scenes, and students learn what it means to serve food with both skill and intention.

“Food is not just something to fill a belly,” Frank Brigsten said. “Food represents a culture. It nourishes our spirits, restores us, and connects people across generations.”

NOCHI offers two six-month certificate programs in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts. As a capstone project, students collaborate with their cohort to create a pop-up café—choosing a restaurant name, deciding what cuisines they want to make, and running both front and back of house while the restaurant is open.

The experience gives students more hands-on practice with both food and hospitality, turning classroom knowledge into real service. The restaurant carries the spirit of the institute into daily practice, guided by students who are earning their place in the kitchen.

The dining room welcomes visitors the same way New Orleans always has—with warmth, generosity, and a sense that every plate tells a story.