Becoming a Professional Baker: Meet LCI Student Gracey Roberts

With a lifelong passion for baking, current LCI student Gracey Roberts was destined to pursue her dreams with a culinary education. “While I was initially scared to pursue my dreams, I’ve known from a pretty young age that this is what I want to do,” says Gracey. Gracey’s experience with baking stemmed from a tragic event in her life. “My Dad passed away when I was eight. That is when I started to cook with my Mom ALL the time, and I loved it! Baking and cooking became therapeutic for me.”

It was while Gracey was a student at ULL that she felt the urge to apply to Louisiana Culinary Institute. “I always knew LCI was for me. I randomly applied at 1 am one morning and got an email back the next day. Before I knew it, I was interviewing,” remembers Gracey. Today she is finishing her Advanced Baking and Pastry degree at Louisiana Culinary Institute.

Like most students who have attended LCI, Gracey’s favorite aspect of this experience has been the relationships. Relationships with not only fellow students but the chefs as well. “The chefs are all so helpful and knowledgeable. I’ve made great friends that I can confide in so much,” says Gracey.

However, culinary school, as with most new endeavors, is not without its challenges. “The most challenging aspect has been extending myself, and challenging myself to do more in class.” However, experiences like LCI’s kitchen labs make it all worth it. “I love watching the kitchen in action. It’s so intriguing and rewarding!”

As Gracey gets close to finishing her degree at LCI she is excited for what the next chapter holds. “My goal is to own a bread shop! Bread is definitely my favorite thing to work with, and I learned this in Advanced Boulangerie class. This class taught me that you do SO much with such a simple dish.”