New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute

What New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute does

New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 and operating since January 2019 from a 93,000-square-foot, five-story campus at 725 Howard Avenue in downtown New Orleans. The institute delivers accelerated, six-month certificate programs in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts, each priced at approximately $16,000 in tuition and totaling $16,911–$16,951 with ancillary fees, and covering nearly 650 hours of hands-on instruction across 25 subjects with a 16:1 student-to-instructor ratio. Students culminate training by designing and operating a multi-week student-run pop-up café capstone on premises equipped with commercial-grade teaching kitchens, baking laboratories, and a Dining Lab.

NOCHI monetizes through a diversified mix beyond tuition: enthusiast classes (sold via Eventbrite), private hands-on cooking classes (15+ guest minimum), venue rentals for events up to 300 guests (booked through Tripleseat), custom Hospitality Investment Training (HIT) contracts with employer partners, alumni merchandise, and donations processed via NeonOne. The core GTM is a direct-to-consumer admissions funnel (Wednesday Walkthroughs, DIY Pizza Party open houses, virtual open houses, twice-yearly January/July cohorts) reinforced by earned media and community-led alumni referrals. Employer partnerships with Viking River Cruises, Sodexo Live!, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, Diageo, and New Orleans & Company simultaneously drive B2B training revenue, student externship pipelines, and free workforce programs (Learning Skills for Life and Serving Up Hospitality). NOCHI is governed by a board led by President & CEO Gerald Duhon and Executive Director Leah Sarris, holds Council on Occupational Education accreditation, and operates exclusively in Southeast Louisiana with no disclosed subsidiaries, parent, or external funding rounds.

Name

New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute

Legal name

New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute

Website

https://nochi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Certificate Program Tuition: NOCHI's primary revenue stream is tuition from its six-month Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts certificate programs. Tuition is $16,000 per program with additional fees for application ($50), registration ($100), uniforms ($215), tool kit ($400), ServSafe certification ($36), and textbooks ($110-$150), bringing total program costs to approximately $16,911-$16,951. Federal Title IV funding, workforce grants (WIOA), military benefits, and private scholarships are available to offset costs for qualifying students.
2. Enthusiast Classes: NOCHI offers fee-based enthusiast classes for non-enrolled individuals covering culinary fundamentals, international cuisine, wine, cocktails, and specialty topics. Classes are promoted on the website and sold via Eventbrite. Private enthusiast class experiences are also available for groups at custom pricing.
3. Venue Rentals and Private Events: NOCHI rents its campus event spaces — including the Grand Hall & Terrace (up to 175 people), RNDC Beverage Lab & Founders' Terrace (up to 150 people), Dining Lab (70 people), Goldring & Woldenberg Lobby (2,300 sq ft, 150 people), Ecolab Courtyard (55 people), teaching kitchens, and lecture classrooms — to external clients for corporate meetings, weddings, galas, and celebrations. Bookings are managed through Tripleseat and inquiries are directed to [email protected].
4. Private Cooking Classes: NOCHI offers private hands-on cooking classes for groups of 15+ guests in its professional teaching kitchens, followed by a seated family meal with wine and beer. Minimum 15 guests required; custom menus are available. Booking is done via inquiry form.
5. Hospitality Investment Training (HIT): NOCHI offers customized professional development training programs for employer partners (e.g., Viking River Cruises, Sodexo Live!, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality) delivered on-site or at the NOCHI campus. Training is tailored to specific employer needs and includes follow-up surveys and optional advanced sessions.
6. NOCHI Alumni Association Membership: Annual alumni membership dues of $25 per year provide access to alumni-only events, tastings, a swag bag, 15% discount on alumni jackets, and a free dessert at each student pop-up.
7. NOCHI Alumni Jacket Sales: Custom-embroidered alumni jackets priced at $65 each, featuring the graduate's name, graduation date, and fleur de wheat emblem in program colors (red for Culinary Arts, orange for Baking & Pastry Arts). Jackets are custom-made and non-refundable.
8. Gift Certificates (NOCHI Bucks): Digital gift certificates redeemable on Eventbrite toward any NOCHI classes (virtual or hands-on) and community events. Gift cards do not expire, are transferrable, and are non-refundable. Physical gift cards available by email request.
9. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, NOCHI raises funds through its annual Cooking for a Cause fundraiser (online auction with in-person soiree), general donations via its NeonCRM platform, and corporate sponsorships for the student pop-up café. The Goldring Family Foundation matches all Cooking for a Cause proceeds dollar for dollar. Net proceeds from the student pop-up café support the NOCHI Scholarship Fund.
10. Saturday School (Intramural Kitchen Practice): Certificate program students have access to Saturday School for additional kitchen practice within the curriculum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

NOCHI operates an accredited culinary and hospitality institute delivering six-month certificate programs in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts, comprising nearly 650 hours of hands-on instruction across 25 subjects at a 16:1 student-to-instructor ratio. The institute supplements its core certificate programs with an employer-facing Hospitality Investment Training (HIT) division, a free Diageo-sponsored Learning Skills for Life bartending fellowship, free Serving Up Hospitality seminars with New Orleans & Company, a Hospitality Leadership Academy, enthusiast and private cooking classes, venue and event rentals, and an alumni association.

Product overview

NOCHI operates as a multi-program culinary and hospitality training institute offering two primary six-month certificate programs (Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts) that together cover nearly 650 hours of intensive instruction. These core programs are supplemented by the Pop-Up Capstone, where students operate a restaurant concept. NOCHI also offers professional development programs including Hospitality Investment Training (HIT), Hospitality Leadership Academy, and the free Diageo-sponsored Learning Skills for Life bartending program. For enthusiasts and private groups, the institute provides enthusiast classes, private cooking classes, and venue rentals. The organization also maintains an alumni community with association membership and branded apparel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Culinary Arts Certificate Program Six-month intensive accredited certificate program covering 25 subjects with nearly 650 hours of hands-on instruction in culinary techniques, knife skills, meat and seafood fabrication, international cuisines, and restaurant operations, culminating in a Pop-Up Café capstone and ServSafe certification. Taught at a 16:1 student-to-instructor ratio by award-winning chefs; total program cost approximately $16,951 including tuition, registration, uniform, tool kit, ServSafe, and textbooks.
• Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate Program Six-month intensive accredited certificate program with nearly 650 hours covering laminated doughs, hearth breads, chocolates, confections, cakes, and pastry fundamentals; total program cost approximately $16,911 including tuition, registration, uniform, tool kit, ServSafe, and textbooks.
• Pop-Up Café Capstone Culminating capstone project where Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry students collaborate to conceive, design menus, develop recipes and budgets, and operate a student-run pop-up restaurant for a multi-week period serving the public.
• Hospitality Investment Training (HIT) Customized professional development and workforce training programs delivered on-site or at the NOCHI campus for employer partners. Programs cover hospitality fundamentals, professional presence, communication, problem-solving, compliance, culinary techniques, dining operations, galley training, and housekeeping best practices, with follow-up surveys and optional advanced sessions.
• Learning Skills for Life (LS4L) Bartending Fellowship Free week-long bartending and hospitality fellowship delivered in partnership with Diageo for Greater New Orleans residents (18+, authorized to work in the U.S., no prior bartending experience). Participants receive hands-on spirits training, food safety, life skills including job readiness, interview prep, and conflict resolution, and earn Louisiana Responsible Vendor License with placement support through NOCHI and Diageo's employer network.
• Hospitality Leadership Academy Two-day intensive workshop for hospitality managers and aspiring leaders covering train the trainer, interviewing 101, menu engineering, and professional growth strategies, led by Steve Woodruff with 50+ years of hospitality experience.
• Serving Up Hospitality Seminar Series Free six-seminar professional development series produced in partnership with New Orleans & Company covering guest experience, body language and presence, the art of anticipation, communication, goal setting, time management, and problem-solving. Delivered on NOCHI's campus exclusively for New Orleans & Company member employees, with each seminar offered twice.
• Enthusiast Classes Hands-on cooking, baking, wine, and cocktail classes for non-enrolled adults (21+ for alcohol-related classes; ages 12-16 welcome with adult chaperone), led by NOCHI chefs and local personalities covering culinary fundamentals, international cuisine, and specialty topics. Tickets are sold via Eventbrite and are non-refundable but fully transferrable.
• Private Cooking Classes Private hands-on cooking classes for groups of 15+ guests in NOCHI's professional teaching kitchens, followed by a seated family meal with wine and beer. Custom menus are available along with add-ons such as personalized aprons, charcuterie boards, and desserts; booking is via inquiry form.
• Venue Rentals and Private Events Event space rentals of NOCHI's campus facilities — Grand Hall & Terrace (up to 175), RNDC Beverage Lab & Founders' Terrace (up to 150), Dining Lab (70), Entire Fifth Floor (up to 300), Goldring & Woldenberg Lobby (2,300 sq ft, 150), Ecolab Courtyard (55), teaching kitchens, and lecture classrooms — for corporate meetings, weddings, galas, and celebrations. Bookings managed via Tripleseat.
• NOCHI Bucks Gift Certificates Digital gift certificates (with physical cards available by email request) redeemable on Eventbrite toward any NOCHI classes (virtual or hands-on) and community events. Gift cards do not expire, are fully transferrable, and are non-refundable.
• NOCHI Alumni Association Membership Annual alumni membership at $25 per year providing access to alumni-only events, tastings, a swag bag (pin, pennant, tote), 15% discount on alumni jackets, free dessert at each student pop-up, and access to the exclusive NOCHI alumni job board.
• NOCHI Alumni Jacket Custom-embroidered alumni jacket priced at $65 each, featuring the graduate's name, graduation date, and fleur de wheat emblem (red for Culinary Arts, orange for Baking & Pastry Arts). Custom-made and non-refundable; alumni association members receive 15% discount.
• Chef Instructor Series Professional technique-focused classes taught by NOCHI's chef instructors, featuring expert guidance with hands-on practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19 graduates in inaugural cohort (June 2019)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Chef's Brigade NOLAmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2020NOCHI partnered with Chef's Brigade NOLA as part of a coalition of 80+ restaurants to produce and deliver fresh meals to vulnerable residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, supported by the City of New Orleans and FEMA, supplied up to 30,000 meals per day to residents in need, while also bringing new business to struggling restaurants.
• Revolution FoodsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2020NOCHI partnered with Revolution Foods as part of the COVID-19 Meal Assistance Program coalition to produce and distribute meals to community members affected by the pandemic.
• D'Livery NOLAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2020NOCHI partnered with D'Livery NOLA as part of the COVID-19 Meal Assistance Program coalition to support meal distribution logistics.
• City of New Orleans / FEMAmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2020NOCHI partnered with the City of New Orleans and FEMA to host and operate a mass feeding initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was conceptualized by Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration and renewed multiple times, supplying fresh meals to up to 30,000 vulnerable residents per day while supporting local restaurant partners.
• World Central KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2019NOCHI has served as a relief kitchen for World Central Kitchen during multiple disaster response efforts: Hurricane Barry (2019), the March 2022 tornado, and Hurricane Ida (2021). During Hurricane Ida, NOCHI produced 10,000 meals in the first two days and scaled to tens of thousands daily. NOCHI also hosted World Central Kitchen volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic for meal delivery to seniors and vulnerable residents.
• Diageo North AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiageo, through its Learning Skills for Life (LS4L) program, partners with NOCHI to deliver a free week-long bartending and hospitality fellowship for Greater New Orleans residents. Diageo provides grant funding that covers all program costs for participants, who receive hands-on bartending training, spirits education, food safety certification, job readiness coaching, and placement assistance within NOCHI and Diageo's large network of employer partners. The program has produced multiple graduating cohorts since its launch in late 2019 and was expanded in November 2025.
• New Orleans & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOCHI and New Orleans & Company co-produce the Serving Up Hospitality program, a free six-seminar professional development series for employees of New Orleans & Company member companies. Seminars cover guest experience, body language, communication, goal setting, and problem-solving, and are offered twice each to accommodate member company schedules.
• Viking River CruisesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOCHI partners with Viking River Cruises to deliver a comprehensive 5-day immersive training program for new hires joining the Viking Mississippi River Cruise team. The program includes a 4-day, 11-hour functional training segment simulating onboard demands, with role-specific training for restaurant/bar staff, housekeeping staff (using a campus-based mock stateroom), and culinary staff. The program concludes with an onboard tour of the Viking Mississippi alongside NOCHI instructors.
• Sodexo Live!majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSodexo Live! partners with NOCHI for professional development training for team members at premier New Orleans venues (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, National WWII Museum). NOCHI students gain access to exclusive paid internships and immersive on-the-job experiences at Sodexo Live! properties, with one student per cohort also participating in a week-long training at Lenôtre Culinary Arts School in Paris. The partnership also includes free Taste of Hospitality workshops for the wider hospitality community.
• Aramark Collegiate HospitalityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOCHI delivers focused, flexible training programs (4 to 8 hours) for new Aramark Collegiate Hospitality hires through a combination of onsite and offsite sessions. Training covers hospitality fundamentals, best practices, food safety, knife skills, and compliance with industry regulations, tailored to Aramark's specific standards.
• Hancock WhitneyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHancock Whitney serves as the presenting sponsor of NOCHI's annual Cooking for a Cause fundraiser, an online auction and in-person soiree featuring cuisine, cocktails, and entertainment.
• Dirty Coast / Screens for GoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNOCHI partnered with Dirty Coast's Screens for Good community project to create a 'Feeding Our Future' merchandise design. T-shirts ($22) and totes ($15) are sold through Dirty Coast's website, with all proceeds directly benefiting NOCHI.
• Gracious BakeryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOCHI operated the NOCHI Cafe by Gracious, a café concept developed in partnership with Gracious Bakery and run by NOCHI students. The café was operated by students as a real-world learning experience.

Scale indicators15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nochi_tweets
• Facebookfacebook.com/Neworleansculinaryandhospitalityinstitute
• Instagraminstagram.com/nochi_grams

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute