In June, we celebrated our Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Class of 2024 recipients as they graduated with their Culinary Arts Certificates from the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute (NOCHI). It was a big moment for these students who worked hard to finish their training program of nearly 650 hours of hands-on instruction.
We'd like to give a huge shoutout to Melanie Londono, who was named the Culinary Arts Valedictorian. She showed great dedication and skill throughout her time at NOCHI and produced top scores to earn the very competitive title.
Chef Aarón Sánchez, their mentor and our program’s namesake, was the graduation keynote speaker. His inspiring words encouraged NOCHI's graduates to pursue their dreams in the culinary world and to embrace mentorship along the way.
In addition to their coursework, each scholarship recipient embarked on a trip and completed an internship to acquire further practical experience. Christian Lopez went to San Francisco to learn at Californios, a two-starred Michelin restaurant led by Chef Val Cantu. Melvin Reyes went to Los Angeles and worked at Redbird led by Chef Neal Fraser, also recognized by Michelin Guide, serving refined yet approachable modern American cuisine. Melanie Londono also traveled to Los Angeles to work at Michelin-starred Osteria Mozza presided over by Chef Nancy Silverton, where she learned more about Italian cooking. Also, Meyauna Campbell completed her internship at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix. There, she worked at both Tia Carmen and Kembara led by Chef Angelo Sosa, learning about both Latin and Asian styles of cuisine.
It is bittersweet to see this year's scholarship program come to a close as each person moves on to their next chapter, however we’re excited to see where their careers take them next. We’re proud to be a significant part of their journey as young Latino chefs, and will continue to mentor them as they grow.
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