'People who come out of this program are prepared for the world,’ said Chef John Kozar at the opening of The Lanny D. Ledet Culinary Arts Building at Nicholls State University's Chef John Folse Culinary Institute. Kozar is the , department head and assistant professor.

For Nicholls State University students seeking career training at Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, school will not be “as usual.” This week marks the grand opening of a new 33,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, culinary teaching facility unmatched in the United States.

The top-of-the-line kitchen equipment might be rivaled, but according to a prepared statement, Nicholls State University is the first public university in the nation to offer a four-year culinary arts degree and remains home to the only United States culinary program in the prestigious Institut Paul Bocuse Worldwide Alliance.

Among 14 partners in 14 countries, the Institut Paul Bocuse, located in Écully, France, is a worldwide alliance that invites top culinary and hospitality students to immerse themselves in French culture while learning technical skills. Simply put, Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, now housed in the The Lanny D. Ledet Culinary Arts Building, has bragging rights.

The new facility is the culmination of a three-year, $12.6 million project designed to double the current student capacity from 300 to 600. Terry Trahan Jr., publications coordinator for Nicholls State University Marketing and Communications, said the culinary program began in 1994 when Chef Folse and then university president shared bowls of gumbo at Folse’s restaurant. They decided a college curriculum was needed to blend the food and culture of South Louisiana into a Bachelor of Science program.

Now thirteen industry-based faculty and staff provide students from around the nation and globe with not only the cooking tools for preparing grand feasts, but the educational basis to create and manage their own restaurants or food industry support services by combining a culinary study with a minor in business.

Alumni Part of Celebration

Former student Jacqueline Blanchard, referred to as “one of our prizes,” by chef-instructor Marcelle Bienvenu, returned for the early open house last week. Blanchard said after spending years working in California, she and her chef boyfriend returned to New Orleans with hopes of opening their own restaurant one day.

In preparation, they have opened Coutelier NOLA, a professional chef tools and cutlery business in uptown New Orleans. Blanchard said they hope to establish themselves professionally by providing a service to area chefs which includes Japanese knives, a wetstone sharpening service and other niche cooking tools and products for chefs and cooks.

Fellow student Justin Sargent of New Iberia also returned to share in the excitement of the new building.

“I’m jealous. We used butane burners on tabletops,” Sargent said. “Who wouldn’t want to come here. Very few kitchens you go to work in have everything new.”

Sargent, was introduced to the food industry when he was 16 years old. His step-mom, Kristal Sargent, put him to work washing dishes at Clementine Dining and Spirits. After graduating from New Iberia Senior High in 2008, Sargent enrolled and graduated from Chef John Folse Culinary Institute in 2012.

One of seven children, Sargent said they all worked with the catering and restaurant where his step-mother was manager.

“Cooking was the only thing I knew, I just love it,” he said. “We learned the Cajun and Creole part of cooking at home, but when you start off at school, you learn the basics. We (students) have a food history class that tells about all the cultures. Here you learn to fuse your Cajun culture with all of the other cultures.”

Sargent said they did a whole class on eggs. Chef Marcelle Bienvenu said she remembers the day Sargent did his first egg-over-easy.

“He said, ‘I have to call my mom and dad, and take a picture,’ ” Bienvenu said. “He became one of our best students. I think working at Clementine sparked his interest.”

The new Ledet Building is equipped with six kitchens, three classrooms and a dedicated student study area complete with a collection of more than 1,000 cookbooks.

It is also the home of a student-operated Bistro Ruth, a 96-seat restaurant named in honor of New Orleans restaurateur Ruth Fertel, founder of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.

The Bistro Ruth course allows students to rotate through real world stations in an actual kitchen environment alternating hospitality services in the front of the house and a full array of duties in the kitchen. Students experience everything from executive chef responsibilities of menu planning and supervision to cleanup and prep.

A private Chef’s Table that seats six and President’s Dining Room that seats 12 offers elegant dinner service inspired by global culinary traditions and menus. Fees are based on the room rental, not a per person cost for menu choices.

Trahan said when dining at Bistro Ruth, guests choose an entree, but in the private rooms, the option to taste every entree is available. The rooms can be reserved for private dining and overlook the kitchen preparations of a selected menu which changes nightly depending on the student executive chef. Regular items are also part of the Bistro Ruth menu.

Bistro Ruth is usually open Tuesdays and Thursdays during the semester, but anyone interested in dining should check online for menu styles and hours. The culinary website lists dates and menu service for the evening. Reservations are generally required.

The Bistro concept, Trahan said, to his knowledge is unique to Nicholls’ program. A retail bakery kiosk and coffee shop is also open to the public featuring products from the institute.

“The program started in 1994 when Chef Folse and then university president were sharing a bowl of gumbo. They decided to blend the food and culture of South Louisiana into a college curriculum,” said Trahan.

“The program has continued to grow ever since,” he said. “The facility has evolved to meet the needs. Each of the kitchens is dedicated for specific purpose. One is the pastry kitchen, the most popular. There is a meat fabrication/butchering kitchen, cold foods, salads, refrigerated foods, open skills, all the things that come with being a good chef.

“We have a strategic plan in place to increase enrollment for the university and the culinary program is an important component to meet that goal,” Trahan said. “We also have actual alumni coming back as adjunct instructors bringing their real world experience back into the classroom.”

The seafood kitchen is where John Folse teaches about soups, gumbo and sauces. Trahan said the special skills kitchen and pastry kitchen still have naming rights for any philanthropists interested in being associated with the program.

Joining the Program

“The admissions process is like regular Nicholls enrollment, ACT score and application to the university,” said Chef John Kozar, MBOE, Department Head and Assistant Professor. “Once you’re accepted, you just choose the Culinary Institute as your major.”

“Everyone down here (in Louisiana) cooks,” he said, “At the culinary institute, in addition to cooking, students are learning how to manage the kitchen, order food, manage the staff. You may not be cooking as much as a ‘chef,’ you’ve done that. You may still create but you are the manager, not just a cook.”

Kozar said their curriculum includes getting a business minor with the culinary arts degree and they are part of the College of Nursing. This gives students access to dietetics and the nutrition departments, he said, in addition to traditional humanities studies expected from a four-year degree.

“People who come out of this program are prepared for the world,” Kozar said. “Some graduates have said, ‘I don’t want to cook’ and they don’t have to. They can be health inspectors, nutritionists or instructors or many other careers.”

Bienvenu and Kozar said the first thing students learn is Culinary 101, the variety of careers they can pursue with a degree. They begin by studying food history and cultures around the world.

The public is invited to the grand opening at 10 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Highway 1 and Bowie Road on the campus of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.