kent levan, Director of Education

Before joining the culinary team at NOCHI, Kent worked as a chef in New Orleans and in New York City. Kent's passion for food started with time spent in his grandmother's kitchen, learning the family recipes. That love of food has taken him into a wide range of cuisines from haute Creole to BBQ to global fine dining and almost everything in-between. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute with a certificate in Culinary Arts, Kent is excited to share his passion for world foods, just as his instructors did when he began his culinary journey.

Zak Miller, Baking & Pastry Arts Instructor | Program Lead

Before coming to NOCHI, Zak was an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America. He previously worked as pastry chef in numerous award-winning restaurants and hotels across the country (including Picholine, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and Coquette), was invited to be a guest chef at the White House, and has contributed to several cookbooks.

Rebecca Klaskala, Culinary Arts Instructor | Program Lead

Rebecca was born and raised in New Orleans, where food was the center of her world and she grew up cooking through Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen. She earned her culinary chops in the kitchens of Luke and La Provence before moving to Hyde Park, NY to attend the Culinary Institute of America. After graduation, she worked for Michelin-star Chef Kevin Hickey at Allium in Chicago, then returned home to join Chefs John Folse and Rick Tramanto at Restaurant R’evolution and worked her way up to sous chef over seven years. In 2020, she joined the team at NOCHI, where she continues to hone her passion for teaching local and global cuisines to aspiring chefs.

Jacob Anguiano, Culinary Arts Instructor

Born in Boynton Beach, Florida, Jacob was raised in the south Florida area. Jacob earned his BA in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management with a concentration in International Hospitality Operations at Johnson and Wales University’s north Miami Campus where he learned fundamentals from chefs with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. After moving to New Orleans, his first job in the city was working as sous chef at the New Orleans Saints training facility. He then worked as a sous chef at Jack Rose, then Saint John, then lastly Chef de Cuisine at Rosedale for two years before making the move to NOCHI.

Kalen Gray, Culinary Arts Instructor

Kalen Gray, a NOCHI alum and seasoned culinary professional, now serves as a Culinary Instructor at his alma mater, mentoring aspiring chefs in kitchen management, food safety, and modern cooking technique. His career spans roles from line cook to executive chef, with leadership positions at renowned establishments such as Saint John, Doris Metropolitan, and Pascal’s Manale. In these roles, he has overseen kitchen operations, mentored culinary teams, and played a key role in menu innovation and ingredient sourcing. With a commitment to continuous learning and innovation, Kalen brings real-world industry knowledge into the classroom, preparing the next generation of chefs for success in the fast-paced culinary world.

BLAIR TILLER, CULINARY ARTS INSTRUCTOR

Born in Virginia, Blair spent her summers growing up in Louisiana learning how to cook from both of her grandmothers.  After high school, Blair moved to New York City, where she went to culinary school at Star Career Academy, earning a certification in Culinary Arts.  Blair spent the next 5 years working in renowned, as well as Michelin Star awarded, restaurants throughout the city, honing both savory and pastry skills. 

In 2014, Blair and her husband Ryan moved to Louisiana to get back to her roots, working with top New Orleans Chefs. She joined the NOCHI family in 2023. Blair resides with her husband and daughter in the New Orleans area.  

Byron Bradley, Adjunct Culinary Arts Instructor

Under the mentorship of some of the most successful and widely recognized chefs in the country, Chef Byron has worked to perfect his craft alongside celebrity chefs such as Aaron Sanchez and the Queen of Creole Cuisine, Leah Chase. Working directly with these legendary chefs has afforded Byron invaluable wisdom that has perfected his cooking genius while simultaneously creating opportunities for him to develop and excel professionally. Chef Byron has been a featured chef in promotional campaigns for major television and business corporations including the Food Network, Coca Cola and the John Besh Foundation.

Denaé Reddick, Adjunct Baking & Pastry Arts Instructor

Denaé Reddick is a 2017 New Orleans Center for Creative Arts graduate, where she found her passion for baking and pastry. Her love of pastry goes way back; she opened a cupcake business in her freshman year of high school and, as a senior, was the recipient of NOCCA's President's Honors Award in Culinary Arts. Denaé then went on to pursue a higher education in baking and pastry as part of the inaugural class at the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute. Since graduating from NOCHI, Denaé has been working as a cake decorator, perfecting her skills in the world of celebration and wedding cakes, and has also returned to NOCCA as a Baking & Pastry instructor.