NEW ORLEANS – La Petite Grocery and the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute have partnered to create the La Petite Grocery Scholarship Fund, launching this summer. With this fund, the restaurant has established an annual, needs-based scholarship to support students pursuing a certificate in NOCHI’s Culinary Arts or Baking & Pastry Arts certificate program.
“The New Orleans culinary community has provided so much opportunity to all of us at the restaurant over the years, and we wanted to find a way to give back and support the future leaders of our industry,” says Mia Devillier, who serves as director of operations at the restaurants. “NOCHI does such important work in guiding the next generation of chefs here, and we look forward to seeing this fund assist in those efforts.”
Recently celebrating the restaurant’s 20-year anniversary, owners Justin and Mia Devillier attribute La Petite Grocery’s longstanding success to the talented and passionate staff at the restaurant, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and career development. Teaming up with NOCHI to create this fund presented an opportunity to enhance these mentorship efforts by investing in the potential of those who may not be able to afford culinary school on their own.
“We are extremely grateful to the Devilliers for their gift of a full scholarship each year for an aspiring chef,” says Gerald Duhon, NOCHI executive director. “A NOCHI Culinary Arts or Baking & Pastry Arts graduate enters the hospitality industry with foundational skills to set them on their desired path to a successful career. Mia and Justin are not only investing in a future leader in our industry but helping to preserve New Orleans’ legacy and culture of hospitality.”
The La Petite Grocery Scholarship is valued at $16,950, including the cost of tuition, uniforms, textbooks, equipment, and fees for the application and registration process. Students with documented need who are applying to the Culinary Arts or Baking & Pastry Arts certificate programs for the July-December cohort are eligible for the scholarship. The scholarship recipient will be announced on or before Thursday, May 30.
“The La Petite Grocery Scholarship is fully funded by the restaurant’s revenue, meaning every diner has contributed to making this possible” says Justin, a James Beard Award-winning chef and cookbook author. “Our hope is that other restaurants may be inspired to do something similar, and together we can support promising young students entering our industry.”