Changing Careers to Follow Your Passion: Meet Mary Frances Daniel

“We’re all going to win together.” This is the mindset that Mary Frances Daniel has when it comes to success. This was her attitude as a collegiate volleyball player, and it has transitioned into the kitchen at Louisiana Culinary Institute. Mary Frances is wrapping up her degree program in the savory concentration and plans to stay to finish her baking and pastry degree next year.

While her first educational direction wasn’t toward the culinary arts, cooking has always been her passion. Mary Frances earned Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mathematics before earning a Master’s of Arts in Urban Education at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. It was during a student teaching session when some words of wisdom were passed along to pursue her dream. This conversation happened to coincide with her Grandmother’s passing, and Mary Frances knew, “I would do it for her”.

Growing up as an only child, Mary Frances always enjoyed cooking. Learning from her Mom, Dad, and Grandmothers, it quickly became her passion. “We would do our own version of ‘Chopped’, Dad was the judge, and I’d always pick the most elaborate recipes,” recalls Mary Frances. This passion for cooking and creating is what eventually led her to LCI. “I love the food and the passion. This is the real world and where I belong.”

Mary Frances grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and had visited Louisiana a few times, always feeling a calling. Loving the culture, cuisine, and people, Louisiana Culinary Institute was her first and only choice when it came to selecting a culinary school. “The internship opportunities, specifically the opportunity to work at The Masters are incredible. I got to experience The Masters with my Dad and work behind the scenes. Greens jackets, patrons, every part of it was incredible,” remarks Mary Frances.

While at LCI Mary Frances has thrived through the support of her classmates and chef instructors. “Hearing their knowledge is addicting. They believe in their students.” Another opportunity that she’s taken advantage of is the use LCI’s facilities to continue working on her craft. “I spend time in there on Fridays, working on new sourdough bread. There are so many ways to find joy in the culinary arts.”

Having earned a Master’s degree Mary Frances was prepared for the workload required in culinary school. “Food doesn’t scare me. I was fully present for this opportunity, I felt like I could attack it.”

When it comes to preparing food the best part is seeing the smile on someone’s face when they get to experience what you’ve created. Mary Frances recently made a s’more for a relative visiting from Cuba. She made a homemade marshmallow, craftily put it together, and watching the smile on her face develop in the live photo on her iPhone is what makes all of this worthwhile.

After graduation, and completing her baking and pastry degree, Mary Frances would like to become a personal chef. “Hosting small, intimate gatherings, date nights, and more are the big dream,” says Mary Frances. Until then gaining as much experience, and seeing as many perspectives as possible is her goal. “I would love to work where everything is locally grown and cooked, a farm-to-table restaurant. I love working with bread. My initials are MFD, one day I’d like to open a bakery named MF Dough.”

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.