A partnership between the Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and Nicholls State will give students at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute the opportunity to work in a state of the art kitchen facility. “It all started with a conversation with Greg Stock, CEO of Thibodaux Regional, about the new facilities and his constant desire to improve their hospital and their hospital reputation,” Robert Harrington, dean of culinary, said.

Each semester, one culinary student will be selected to work at the hospital under an externship.

This semester Alisha Naquin, senior from Houma, was selected as the extern to work in the hospital kitchen facilities.

In order for a student to be selected as an extern they must have completed all of the foundation culinary classes. The Nicholls faculty members who coordinate the externship program recommend students to the hospital, and the food service director interviews the students and selects the one believed to be the best fit to the hospital during that time.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for both institutions to share resources,” Harrington said. “I think it will benefit the community as a whole.”

In addition to the externship of one student, a lab class will take place in the hospital each semester. The students will be able to see state of the art equipment and will prepare food as part of the class.

“I think having a lab class at the Thibodaux Regional Medical Center kitchen facility is a good idea. It will give students the type of experience they would not be able to have in the classroom,” Rebecca Duboue, culinary freshman from Metairie, said.

Students who are a part of the externship might be connected to the preparation of skills in the kitchen at the hospital.

Culinary students will also be able to observe the entire process, from the design to the execution of a new food service facility when the new kitchen at the hospital is completed.

“Working in the kitchen at a hospital can be a very good experience for someone who wants to go into the culinary field, because you get a good hands-on experience,” Kristopher Robinson, culinary freshman from Baldwin, said.

In past externship projects, students have been involved in reorganizing purchase programs for establishments, and some were also focused on special programs such as dietary programs.