Every Opportunity: Orion Cho's Journey to Checking Off a Lifelong Dream

For Orion Cho, enrolling at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute wasn't about changing careers, it was about fulfilling a promise she'd made to herself.

After spending years pursuing an acting career, Orion had long dreamed of attending culinary school. It sat on her bucket list for nearly two years before she finally decided the timing was right.

"I was here purely for my own pleasure," she says. "Going to culinary school had always been on my bucket list."

When she landed her first restaurant job, everything clicked into place. It was time to stop wondering what if? and start cooking.

That decision led her to NOCHI's Spring 2026 Culinary Arts cohort, where she embraced every opportunity the program had to offer.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

While Orion expected to sharpen her culinary skills, what surprised her most were the relationships she built in her six months in the program.

"The connections have been my favorite part," she says. "We visited so many chefs in the city, and I followed up with several of them afterward. Being able to spend one-on-one time with people who do this every day has been incredible."

Those conversations gave her an inside look at the industry while expanding her network beyond the classroom.

The support from NOCHI's faculty left an equally lasting impression.

As Orion worked on an application to become a contestant on Hell's Kitchen, instructors eagerly stepped in to help bring her vision to life.

"(Culinary Arts Instructor) Chef Jacob tasted my recipes and gave me feedback. (Director of Education) Chef Kent stayed after class for a long time helping me style and plate my food," she recalls. "Everyone really rallied around me to help actualize my vision."

For Orion, that willingness to invest in students, even on projects outside of class, was something she never expected.

Finding Focus Through Challenges

Like many students, Orion's time at NOCHI came with challenges beyond the kitchen.

At the start of the program, she moved several hours away from home while also navigating her mother's illness. Balancing those personal responsibilities with the demands of culinary school wasn't easy.

"It was hard to stay focused and engaged," she says. "I had to learn how to check life at the kitchen door."

In the classroom, mastering precise knife cuts proved to be one of her biggest technical hurdles. But through practice, patience, and encouragement from her instructors and classmates, she continued to improve.

A Dream Realized

For Orion, graduating from NOCHI marks the completion of a lifelong goal, though not necessarily the beginning of a culinary career.

Instead, she's preparing for another creative chapter by studying graphic design at Delgado Community College while continuing to pursue art and painting.

She sees her culinary education not as a detour, but as an important piece of a much larger creative journey.

"NOCHI was something I wanted to do for myself," she says. "It's something I can proudly check off my bucket list."

While her next chapter may take her in a different direction, the confidence, creativity, and community she found at NOCHI will stay with her wherever she goes.

Sometimes education isn't just about finding a new career. It's about pursuing a passion, challenging yourself, and saying yes to an opportunity you've always dreamed of. Orion did exactly that, making the most of every moment along the way.