With Emma's Torch, ICE Alum Kerry Brodie Lights the Way for Refugees Seeking Careers In Food

Kerry Brodie is the founder and executive director of Emma’s Torch, a non-profit that provides culinary training, job readiness, and social support to refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking. Since launching in 2016, Emma’s Torch has grown from a small pilot program to a thriving nonprofit in Brooklyn, operating a cafe, pop-up dinner series, and a full-service restaurant.

The nonprofit’s name honors Emma Lazarus, whose poem, “The New Colossus” appears on the Statue of Liberty. It’s a testament to welcoming immigrants, and a siren song for Kerry Brodie, ICE 50th anniversary distinguished alumni honoree and 2016 Graduate of the Year.

For Brodie, combining her background in policy with her love of food — and using both toempower the community she serves — is both a passion and a purpose.  

We spoke with Brodie about her time at ICE and her endeavor to lift humanity through food. Here’s what she had to say. 

* The following interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

ICE: To start, what do you think of as your biggest professional achievements?  

Kerry Brodie: I consider my biggest professional achievement to be the impact Emma’s Torch has had in providing culinary training, career opportunities and community to refugees, asylees and survivors of human trafficking. It’s not just about the meals we serve or skills we teach — it’s about giving people a sense of dignity, purpose, and agency over their futures.

Watching our graduates build successful careers, support their families, and contribute to their communities is the most rewarding part of my work. Food is an incredible connector, and if I’ve played even a small role in helping someone find belonging through cooking, then that feels like a win.

ICE: To what factors do you attribute your success?

KB: I have an incredibly supportive family who has pushed me to succeed and to try to find new solutions to problems daily, and I have an extraordinary team that makes Emma’s Torch what it is. I also try to surround myself with people who are smarter than I am, which means that I get to learn something new every day.

ICE: What does a typical day look like for you?

KB: No two days are the same, which is part of the fun — and the chaos. Some days, I’m deep in spreadsheets and emails, and other days, I’m in the kitchen with our students, trying to look like I belong there. The best part of my job is watching our students grow in confidence. Seeing someone walk into our kitchen on their first day, nervous and unsure, and then watching them a few weeks later leading a station, cracking jokes, and finding new careers is beyond words.

ICE: When you think of ICE, what’s the first word that pops into your mind? 

KB: Opportunity. ICE wasn’t just about learning how to cook — it was about realizing that food could be a bridge to something bigger, whether that’s a career, a community or a purpose.

ICE: When did you realize you had a passion for food, and when did that turn into ‘I want to work in food?’

KB: I’ve always loved food, but I never imagined I’d work in food. My background is in policy, and I thought I’d spend my career in a more traditional nonprofit space. But when I saw how food could be a tool for empowerment and economic mobility, it clicked. Now, I get to be part of something that connects food, storytelling and social change, which is pretty amazing.

ICE: Before you enrolled, what was it about ICE that suggested it was a good fit for you?

KB: I love that ICE has such a diverse student body — people from all walks of life, all coming together because of a shared love for food. I also liked that [the culinary arts program] felt hands-on and practical, because I learn best by doing (and sometimes, by messing up and trying again).

ICE: Do you have a core culinary school memory – maybe a funny moment or a recipe that made you swoon?

KB: There were a lot of moments of pure panic, usually involving knives. But my favorite memories are of just laughing with my classmates as we all tried to figure things out together.

ICE: Is there any single lesson that you learned at ICE that you still use in your work today?

KB: ‘Mise en place’ applies to everything in life. If you’re not prepared and organized, things will get messy — literally and figuratively. I think about that a lot in my day-to-day work and how we prioritize things as a team. We need everything in its place, ready to create something larger than the sum of its parts.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

Favorite kitchen tool? Double boiler — stops me from ruining far too many things.
Salty or sweet? Salty.
Favorite food holiday? Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year).
Favorite food city? Jerusalem.
Cook, bake, eat… in order of preference? Bake, cook, eat.
Favorite cuisine? Italian.
Go-to “easy” recipe? Challah.
Go-to “wow” recipe? Ice cream.
Most frequently used ingredient? Maldon salt.
Favorite food season? Fall.