Marya Kircher: A Lifelong Learner in the Kitchen and Beyond

When Marya Kircher arrived in New Orleans from Wyoming, she brought with her a wealth of life experience and a suitcase packed with curiosity. With a multitude of jobs filling her resume, including scuba diving instructor, firefighter, and Chicago Cubs employee, Marya is no stranger to reinventing herself. But when she landed at NOCHI, she wasn’t just looking for a change. She was looking for community and the chance to deepen her craft in a city that lives and breathes food.

She found all of that and more.

“I’d raised my kids, and I was looking for a new start,” Marya says. “I wanted to go somewhere interesting and meet interesting people who love food.” Though she’d been working as a chef for years, NOCHI offered something new: the chance to put a name to the skills she already had. “I was doing a lot of this already, but now I’m learning the French terms, the vocabulary, the techniques behind it all.”

Marya’s journey to NOCHI is marked by moments that are uniquely New Orleans. After only a month living in the Treme neighborhood, her new community surprised her with a second line when she moved out of her temporary rental. “I cried when the band came to my door,” she recalls. “It was overwhelming in the best way.” In her new apartment, she quickly found connection again. Another NOCHI student lives nearby, and the two went on a happy hour tour one night, managing to hit 15 restaurants in a single evening.

Though she’s already seasoned in the kitchen, Marya is here with a humble and open heart. “I’m just here to learn,” she says. “I didn’t come to learn how to work in a restaurant. I came to learn the how and why of what we do, especially when it comes to ingredients.” That distinction hasn’t always aligned with the industry-oriented focus of culinary education, but Marya approaches it all with patience and curiosity.

Her favorite part of NOCHI? Without hesitation, it’s the people. “I’ve met people here I never would’ve gotten to know otherwise,” she says. “And when you put on that chef coat, it makes you feel like you belong in this city.”

Despite the years of experience she brings, Marya is still finding new things to appreciate. One surprise? “The dishes,” she laughs. “I spend just as much time doing dishes as I do cooking. It really makes you appreciate having someone else to do them.”

For Marya, NOCHI isn’t a career pivot - it’s a step forward. With so many careers behind her, a culinary certificate from NOCHI is just another tool in her belt. It opens doors, offers options, and continues the through-line of her life: a commitment to learning, exploring, and connecting with food and with people.

As Marya proves, it’s never too late to start something new. And it’s never too late to belong.