Student Spotlight: Jessica Meyers – Proving It's Never Too Late to Follow Your Passion

From dental tools to chef's knives, Jessica Meyers has completely reinvented herself—one crawfish enchilada at a time. After spending 30 years in the dental field, the Baton Rouge native decided it was time for something new in retirement. Her choice? Enroll at Louisiana Culinary Institute (LCI) and dive headfirst into a world she once dreaded: cooking.

"I used to hate cooking," Jessica laughs. "My boys grew up on Hamburger Helper and frozen meals. I just never enjoyed it." But after her sons grew up and she met her husband, something shifted. "I couldn't serve this man Hamburger Helper," she says with a smile. So she started experimenting, slowly falling in love with the savory side of the culinary arts. "Only in the past eight or nine years have I really loved it."

Now in her fourth semester at LCI and proudly wearing her green neckie, Jessica has fully embraced this chapter of her life. It's not just about recipes—it's about rediscovery. "Every time I drove past the school, I wondered what it was all about. Finally, I decided to find out."

Finding Her Flavor at LCI

Jessica chose LCI for its hands-on training and reputation in the community—and it hasn't disappointed. "I love coming here, even with a 45-minute drive home. The instructors at LCI are incredible, and I couldn't have asked for better classmates. We trust each other, and that makes a huge difference in the kitchen."

Her favorite class so far? Charcuterie. "Sausage, boudin, cracklins—that's my thing," she says, lighting up. "I'm from Louisiana, so I grew up on all of that. It's in my blood."

Even though she's not a fan of baking ("I'm shocked when anything turns out right"), Jessica dives into every project with creativity and humor. One of her most memorable moments? Constructing a UFO gingerbread house that was beaming up an alien—before collapsing into pieces the next day. "What I see in my head doesn't always translate," she admits. But that hasn't stopped her from bringing a fun twist to every project, from pumpkin carving to designing a space-themed food truck.

A New Kind of Kitchen

Jessica's favorite dish to make is crawfish enchiladas—fitting for someone whose culinary roots are grounded in Southern flavor. She's not yet sure what her next step will be—whether it's catering, working in a restaurant, or (fingers crossed) running a Cajun food truck. "I'd love to do a food truck, but my husband says no!" she says with a grin.

Wherever she lands, Jessica feels confident thanks to LCI's kitchen labs and real-world prep. "This school has prepared me so much. And they help with job placement after graduating, which gives me peace of mind."

Words of Wisdom

To anyone considering culinary school—especially career changers or retirees—Jessica's advice is simple: "It's never too late to start. If you're young and you love cooking, start now. But if you're older, don't let that stop you. Just go for it."

She's proud to be the oldest in her class, and even prouder to say she's finally doing something she loves. "I feel so lucky and blessed to be part of this class. I'll never forget this experience or the people I've met here."

With a spatula in one hand and a passion for food in the other, Jessica Meyers is proving that it's never too late to change your recipe for life—and love every bite of it.

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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.