Changing Career Paths and Returning to Culinary School: Using Credits and Experience to Earn Your Degree

From busboy to bartender to understanding the delicate inner Travis Bullock began his culinary journey in 2016. It was the culmination of a path that began many years ago with a passion and infatuation for cooking and creating. He’s had several jobs and many experiences, though he continues to be drawn toward the kitchen. While his first job at the age of 14 was in a restaurant, he also worked as a pharmacy tech and earned his small engine repair certificate. However, Travis knew what his true calling was, and after considering other culinary schools, it was his uncle that led him toward Louisiana Culinary Institute, proving that it is indeed a small world after all.

Bullock grew up in Virginia while his father was in the military. However, his father and mother are both from Livingston Parish, and his uncle is an alumnus from LCI. After seeing a post from his nephew on social media, he immediately recommended that Travis enroll at LCI, which he did in 2016. Travis completed the majority of his curriculum, however, due to some unforeseen circumstances, needed to take some time away from school. He is currently finishing his final classes and will graduate from the Advanced Culinary Arts program in December of 2021.

One of Travis’ favorite aspects of culinary school has been all the different perspectives. “One question can lead to a lot of different answers,” says Travis. “The instructors have so many different experiences and so much expertise that you get so much feedback from the best of the best.”

Travis always knew he could cook, but he also recognized he needed the formal organization and training to take his skills to the next level. His biggest challenge across this journey has been keeping his motivation to finish. “I had to remember, that as a kid, I loved this so much. I knew that I needed to see this process through.”

While he has worked at Bayou Bistro in Brusly, Louisiana with his uncle, and he currently works at Bacon & Fig Events. Travis is looking for an opportunity to choose his own path, a path that comes with peace of mind and comfort. After graduation, Travis is focused on the short term possibilities that will set him up for success, finding comfort, and leveraging the reputation that he’s built.

From Music to Kitchen Mastery: Student Spotlight on Ben Messina

By Charlie Ruffolo • March 25, 2026

Some people know from childhood exactly where they're headed. Ben Messina took a different route. He started college as a music major, took a gap year to find his footing, and leaned on his brother's encouragement before landing exactly where he was always meant to be: a professional kitchen . Now a senior in the Savory program at Louisiana Culinary Institute (LCI) in Baton Rouge, Ben is weeks away from graduating in May 2026. He arrived at LCI with a love of cooking and a family connection to food. He's leaving with a world-class culinary foundation, a mentor who pushed him to be his best, and a dream of opening multiple restaurants of his own one day. His story is proof that the path to a culinary career doesn't have to be a straight line. Is It Too Late to Change Careers and Go to Culinary School? For Ben, food has always been part of the family fabric. Growing up in Baton Rouge, he spent time in the kitchen with his grandmother, learning to make snickerdoodles as a kid. Those early memories planted a seed. But Ben initially followed a different passion. He'd played trumpet and piano since a young age, so he enrolled at Southeastern Louisiana University to study music. It wasn't long before the questions started creeping in: "What am I actually going to do with a music degree?" He took a gap year to figure it out. And the answer, when it came, was simple: go back to his other love. Cooking. His brother, who owns a food truck, had been encouraging him to consider culinary school. More specifically, he encouraged Ben to look at LCI. And then, without warning, he signed him up for a campus tour.

Leadership and Culinary Skill: Why Being a Great Cook Isn't the Same as Being a Great Leader

By Charlie Ruffolo • February 26, 2026

Being a great cook isn’t enough. Explore how LCI develops culinary leadership skills that prepare students for real-world kitchen management and career growth.