Justin's Journey: The Second Laurence Rua Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Justin is a first-generation Mexican American whose parents came to Southern California as immigrants and worked to build a life. By the time Justin was eight years old, he was helping his father with construction and landscaping jobs. But by sixteen, he had back problems and arthritis. He knew he couldn't do manual labor his whole life, but he also couldn't imagine a desk job.
 

So, at seventeen, he walked into a country club and asked for a dishwashing position. Within months, he was asking to move to the line. By eighteen, he was cooking.

"I'm stubborn as heck," Justin says. "And I wanted it all."

Justin discovered NOCHI through his college counselor. He researched the school and knew it was exactly where he needed to be. He earned scholarships based on his grades and from his employer, who saw the potential Justin had in the kitchen.
 

When he arrived at NOCHI, he made a decision: he wasn't going to waste this opportunity. He took every piece of feedback personally, always asking himself how he could be better the next day. When he heard about the Laurence Rua Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by Sodexo Live!, he knew exactly what he had to do.

"I knew it wasn’t just about being the person with the best grades or who was the best on paper," he reasoned. "They give it to someone who's actually the best. And I knew that was me."

What Sodexo Live! Saw in Him

Sodexo Live!'s decision to invest in Justin through the Laurence Rua Memorial Scholarship wasn't just about sending a student to Paris. It was about recognizing a young chef who embodied the work ethic, dedication, and drive that defines excellence in this industry.
 

Justin had already proven himself. While at NOCHI, he was waking up at 6 a.m. for school and getting home at 1 a.m. from working at Emeril's, a two Michelin star kitchen. He was completing online classes in between.

 “I never imagined that I’d be part of a kitchen where Michelin would come taste food I’ve cooked, where the New York Times would document what I’ve made.”
 

That’s the drive that Sodexo Live! is invested in.

Training at Lenôtre

The first day presented a challenge. Everything was in French, but the language barrier dissolved once Justin understood the rhythm of the class. 
 

The techniques he learned at Lenôtre elevated his understanding of how to make food visually compelling, building on the foundation he'd developed at NOCHI but with an authentic Parisian perspective.
 

Justin was the youngest person in the room. 

"I wondered if I belonged." 

But he showed up the way he always does with initiative and standards that go beyond what's asked.
 

The two-day program ran ten hours each day. It was exactly the kind of challenge Justin craved. He wasn't just learning techniques. He was learning how professional kitchens in Paris approached seasonal ingredients, how they thought about flavor combinations and how they balanced tradition with creativity. 
 

The chefs in his class were older, more experienced, sent by established restaurants. But Justin belonged there. And now he knows it.

I'm Just Getting Started

When asked how the trip impacts where he's going, his answer came immediately:

 "I just can't stop here. I just want to keep going, keep pushing."

That's the mentality that defines him. 

"There's one thing I always told myself in New Orleans when I was tired from getting home at 2 a.m. and had to wake up in three hours: this is something I've always wanted to do. Something I prayed for. Other people would kill to be where I am right now. That's how I keep myself motivated."

Now, Justin is joining Sodexo Live!, bringing everything he learned in Paris into the company that invested in him. It's the kind of full-circle moment that happens when an organization doesn't just fund a scholarship—they invest in a person's trajectory.

Notes For Aspiring Chefs

Justin's advice is straightforward: 

"Don't forget there are people who you should be making connections with. Show up. Be reliable. Be clean. Ask questions."

At twenty years old, Justin has run restaurant stations, trained in a two Michelin star kitchen, and studied at one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world. The Laurence Rua Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by Sodexo Live!, didn't just give him a trip to Paris. It showed him that organizations recognize and invest in people who refuse to settle.

Justin isn’t done. He's just getting started. 

The Laurence Rua Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by Sodexo Live!, provides outstanding culinary students with the opportunity to train at Lenôtre Culinary Arts School in Paris, France. The scholarship honors the memory and legacy of Laurence Rua, a beloved team member known for his talent, leadership, and dedication to excellence.