Earning Multiple Culinary Arts Degrees: Meet Paige Anderson

Hailing from north of Lake Charles, Longville, Louisiana native Paige Anderson has had a passion for cooking and creating since she was a young child. “I believe I was around 5 years old when I started ‘cooking’. It was when I got to stir the rice, water, and salt together in the pot,” remembers Paige. Fast forward to today and you’ll find Page in the classrooms and kitchen labs at Louisiana Culinary Institute where she’s in her first year as a baking and pastry student, before pursuing her advanced culinary arts degree.

Before landing in Baton Rouge Paige earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a minor in entrepreneurship from McNeese State University. Knowing she wanted to embark on a culinary educational journey, Paige considered Augustus Escoffier in Austin, Texas. However, the Cajun and Creole offerings at LCI drew her to the Red Stick. “My favorite type of food is the southern comfort food that my Grandma cooks on Sunday, so that class really made the decision for me.” Class, campus, and curriculum options were also key factors in Paige’s decision. “I also came to LCI because it is a smaller school with more one-on-one interaction, and I like the way the classes are set up so that I could get both degrees.”

During her time at LCI Paige has found that working with all of the chefs and getting real-world experience with Bacon and Fig Events has been incredibly valuable. “Paige is a talented and dedicated student. She is always excelling in the kitchen,” remarks Chef Instructor Colt Patin. When it comes to actually performing in the culinary arts, the freedom and creativity have been invaluable. “The creativity and artistic ability that you get to display is my favorite part. While there are some rules to follow, unlike most professions, cooking is something that you can play in and have fun with. It truly is an art form in my opinion.”

While Paige currently works with Bacon and Fig Events, her main focus is on school. After earning both of her culinary arts degrees from LCI she has some big plans. “I hope to go to the Disney internship, but after that I want to go home and open a plate lunch and pastry restaurant in my hometown. I want to spread my love for food and cooking with the community that I have always loved and called ‘home’.”

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.