NEW ORLEANS – The governing board of the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) announced this week that Leah Sarris has been named executive director of the industry’s newest premier culinary school. Details were shared in a press release.
Sarris served as Director of Education and Training, where she managed instruction and curricula development for the school’s Culinary Arts Certificate, Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate, and the Enthusiast Class program. As Executive Director at NOCHI, Sarris will oversee the school’s programming, education, planning, and advancement.
A SEASONED PROFESSIONAL
Sarris joined NOCHI in 2019 after a seven-year post at Tulane University’s Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, where she served as the Director of Operations and Executive Chef. Her diverse background in the foodservice and hospitality industry includes work in restaurants, academia, research and development, consulting, and community outreach. Most notably, Sarris helped develop the United States’ premier culinary medicine curricula and culinary medicine certification program for medical students and Allied Health Professionals, connecting culinary arts, science, nutrition, and medicine. Sarris is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI.
LEADING THE WAY
NOCHI opened its doors on January 7 to the inaugural cohort of students enrolled in the Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate programs. Those students graduated from the 100-day program this June and NOCHI’s second term began in July with an increased enrollment. Sarris will assume her role as Executive Director during the school’s second term. Her priorities will include further enhancement of certificate and enthusiast programming as well as development of robust continuing education for working professionals in the hospitality industry. She will oversee NOCHI’s continued growth to support long-term sustainability for the institute and its students.
To learn more about NOCHI, the facility and courses, please visit www.nochi.org. Images are available for download here.
