From the Military to a Michelin Star: Chris Mercante’s Alumni Spotlight

2022 LCI graduate Chris Mercante has always had a passion for the culinary arts. Working in restaurants since he was 16 years old, pursuing a culinary education was never out of the question. However, it wasn’t a straight line from the kitchen to the classroom for Chris. “It was always a ‘second job’ of mine. I was in the military, I was a firefighter, and I worked in a logistics warehouse. But as I kept moving up in the restaurant world, I realized it was pretty nice,” remembers Chris.

Working with chefs throughout south Louisiana, Chris soon realized that he didn’t have to settle. “I didn’t want to be a chef that’s always angry at the world. I knew that I liked my job and that I could go out and do what I wanted, do something bigger. That’s when I knew I would go to culinary school.”

The Hammond native enrolled at Louisiana Culinary Institute based on its accolades and reputation. “I considered going out of state, but LCI was the first search that popped up. Learning about what they do and what they’ve done, I immediately applied there,” says Chris after deciding to enroll in culinary school.

Having several years of experience in the industry, Chris’s tenure at LCI was different from that of most students. “I learned a lot. I was able to take a lot of what I already knew, refine it, and sharpen my skills.”

When it comes to the culinary world, Chris recommends that you try everything. “There was a lot that I didn’t want to do when I started working in kitchens. Just go out there and experience everything. When I was at LCI, I had the opportunity to cook at The Masters. I was ‘iffy’ about it, but I had a great experience. I was ‘iffy’ about going to Disney, but when you go and do new things, you will learn so many new things.”

After graduation, Chris and his friend Tyson, an LCI alum, decided to pursue opportunities outside of Louisiana. “I had worked in a few kitchens in Hammond, and I wanted to do more. We interviewed at Disney 3 years ago. I started at Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian. It was supposed to be for three months. After a couple of weeks, I was offered a full-time position.”

This experience has opened Chris’s eyes to different possibilities. “We do so many different things. We use so many different techniques with so many exotic ingredients. There’s a lot that I didn’t know was possible, and I’m always learning something new,” says Chris.

With his experience and success at Victoria and Albert’s, Chris also went back to school at LCI to earn his Hospitality and Culinary Management degree. “I would like to open my own place, but right now, I’m getting great experience, and we are aiming for two Michelin stars next year.”

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.