King Cake Workshop with Matt Haines and Martha Gilreath

Have your king cake and make it, too. In this class, you will roll up your sleeves to shape and bake your own king cake, led by Martha Gilreath of Nolita, and take a deep, delicious dive into the history of this one-of-a-kind confection with Matt Haines (author, The Big Book of King Cake). Expect fragrant smells and fabulous storytelling. You'll go home with a fresh king cake (retail value: $30), decorating supplies, know-how, and plenty of inspiration to dress your cake up. Participants will also have the opportunity to purchase signed books onsite!

Matt Haines tried to eat as many different versions of king cake that he could during the 2017 Mardi Gras season, and ended up sampling over 80 different varieties. That was just before he hiked the entire Appalachian trail. When he returned to New Orleans from this amazing feat he began his writing career. Since then Matt has written for Voice of America, Lonely Planet, CNN Underscored, Zagat, Fodor's Travel, Rosetta Stone, Great Big Story, AlltimePower, The Times-Picayune, The New Orleans Advocate, Gambit Weekly, Very Local New Orleans and GoNOLA.com, as well as technology companies like Align and nonprofit organizations such as 504ward. Matt loves writing about food, travel and just about anything that helps him better understand people and their unique motivations. He lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Martha Gilreath is the owner of Nolita, a newly opened bakery in New Orleans, and also a NOCHI Baking & Pastry Arts alum. After a successful first Mardi Gras season, her king cake made it to the cover of The Big Book of King Cake, and her inspiring story is found in its pages.

​When is check-in?

Our doors open 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, and class will begin promptly.

What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?

You will find ample street parking and several paid parking lots in the blocks surrounding NOCHI. The streetcar also runs directly outside our building!

We've partnered with Premium Parking to offer special rates for our guests:

• NOCHIL | $6 for 5 hours
• NOCHIS | $9 for 15 hours

Codes work exclusively at lots P147 (855 St. Charles) and P148 (900 St. Charles)

TO REDEEM: You must select the corresponding hourly rate through the Premium Parking mobile app or Premium's Text to Pay feature. Please contact Premium Parking with any questions about this process.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

No! We'll be checking names on our guest list.

What is your cancellation policy?

Please be advised that our cancellation policy is as follows:

• Cancellation within 24 hours of registration: Full refund
• Cancellation greater than 14 days before class start date: 50% refund
• Cancellation within 14 days of class start date: No refund

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing. Written electronic submissions are accepted. In the case of a cancellation due to a positive COVID-19 test, a refund may be issued, or your registration may be transferred to a future course for up to one (1) year.

NOCHI reserves the right to cancel or postpone a class. In these cases, guests will be notified as soon as possible and no less than 1 week before the scheduled start date. In addition, guests will be eligible for a full refund or credit to future class (guest preference) for up to one (1) year.

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?

We serve alcohol to anyone age 21+ and will be checking IDs upon arrival. Non-alcoholic options are also available.

May I take photos during class?

Feel free to document your experience with us and share it on social media with the hashtag #intheNOCHI! You can find us on Instagram @nochi_grams, on Twitter @nochi_tweets, or on Facebook.

Host or Publisher New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute