THIBODAUX, La. — The Republic National Distributing Company is donating $10,000 to the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute to help the college recover from the effects of Hurricane Ida.
The money will be used to repair and replace equipment that was lost or damaged due to Hurricane Ida, as well as maintain and enhance the Culinary Institute’s facilities.
“We are happy to be able to support the student learning experience in having state-of-the-art classrooms in preparation for their profession,” said Dolph Parro, executive vice president of RNDC. “The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute truly prepares students for a professional career in the culinary and hospitality industry.”
Hurricane Ida, which made landfall on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, brought devastating winds and storm surge to the Bayou Region. The Lanny D. Ledet Culinary Building was among the facilities on campus that took damage from the storm.
Chef John Kozar, director of the culinary institute, said the money will help replace lost or damaged equipment due to Hurricane Ida.
“This donation is incredibly generous and helpful for our culinary program,” Chef Kozar said. “The donation is being placed in an endowment account that will generate funds to maintain and replace kitchen equipment as we need it in the future.”
As one of the top beverage and alcohol distributors in the nation, RNDC’s national reach helps suppliers build strategic relationships with on- and off-premise customers to elevate their brands and reach their target consumers. RNDC currently operates in the District of Columbia and 37 states across the United States, with the expected addition of the New York market in 2022.
For more information on the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute visit www.nicholls.edu/culinary.
