Pursuing a Culinary Degree After Retirement

“There is no time like the present to learn something new.” These words and mindsight led Louisiana Culinary student Mick Heim to pursue a degree in Advanced Culinary Arts. After retiring from a successful career as head office projects manager for a major oil company, Mick decided to “learn something new” and enrolled at LCI in September of 2020.

Heim earned his mechanical engineering degree from Georgia Tech before overseeing major construction projects for Shell.

Over the years, he attended several culinary leisure classes at LCI, meeting many chefs, and had always wanted to develop these skills further. “I find a lot of parallels with my past experiences. This is very similar to planning a major project in terms of menus, recipes, and more. I enjoy applying the skills I’ve used in the past in this role,” says Heim. 

One challenging aspect of this new curriculum has been baking. The intro to baking class was an experience he thought would be less than pleasant. It turned out to be one of the most fun and rewarding courses he’s taken. “Chef Colt showed me the 12 fundamental steps of baking. I spent the time, followed the steps, and they all made sense. It was fun.”

To keep up his skills, Mick has two part-time jobs; one at Bacon & Fig Catering and Events and one at Maxwell’s Market. These roles keep him plugged into the industry while allowing him to donate extra money to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, one of his passions. 

While Mick is still considering his different options after graduating from LCI, he is excited about the endless possibilities. One option is becoming a personal chef.

Another is staying in school, pursuing his Advanced Baking & Pastry degree. However, there is one experience that he is looking forward to. Mick is an off-road motorcycle enthusiast, honing his skills at   the BMW Offroad Academy in Colorado. He is excited to use his new culinary skills while biking the Continental Divide that will take him on dirt roads from the Mexico/Arizona border to Canada.