Hi fellow foodies! I’m Laura, a media professional and current Culinary Arts student. Working full-time during the day while pursuing a life in the kitchen at night is nothing short of thrilling, draining, inspiring and exhausting. Yet despite the obvious challenges, going to school at ICE has so far proven to be one of the best decisions I've made in my life. Over the next few months, I hope to share some of my experiences and what its like to pursue your passion while holding down a 9-5 job.

Summer will be here before you know it, and we’re thrilled to be hosting an innovative ice cream workshop featuring the madcap creations of OddFellows' Chef Sam Mason on Sunday, April 19th.

I grew up with a mother who was the embodiment of a “hostess with the mostest.” Martha Stewart had nothing on this domestic goddess. She always made her creations look fashionable, gorgeous and delicious, and she did it all on a dime.

Chef Mike Handal remembers the first time a restaurant chef ever appeared on the cover of Bon Appetit. “It was 1980 and Chicago’s Jean Banchet [was the first]. Then came a protégé of Bocuse. And then my chef, Jean-Jacques Rachou.” The 1980s in New York City was the wild west of fine dining. Chefs from abroad — many of them French — were shaping the city’s iconic restaurant style with elegant, old world techniques and innovative ideas.

When Kim O’Donnel traded in her journalism career for a future in food, she never expected that her true calling would mix her two passions.

It’s been two months since I started class at ICE, and from butchering nearly every type of protein, to learning how to properly sauté, grill, roast, poach and steam, to exploring the financial side of culinary business, I can confidently say I’ve learned a lot. But I’m not just learning how to do all these things. I’m learning the why behind everything as well.

This year, StarChefs.com was proud to announce the 9th class of New York City “Rising Stars”—a selection of 26 upstart chefs, beverage professionals, artisans, and innovators. This year, two ICE alumni—Ann Redding, Chef/Owner of Uncle Boons, and Mina Pizarro, Pastry Chef at Juni—were named among the city’s young leaders. We were also thrilled to host an exclusive panel discussion with a handful of these promising new talents. Read below their thoughts on everything from landing that first job and finding the right mentor to becoming the kind of leader that will shape the industry’s future.

With experience in the kitchens of Jean-Georges, Heston Blumenthal and Floyd Cardoz, ICE alum Jody Eddy has rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s top chefs. So it’s no surprise that her first book, Come In, We’re Closed: An Invitation to Staff Meals at the World’s Best Restaurants, secured Jody’s reputation as a respected storyteller among chefs. Since then, Jody’s career has taken off and she’s busier than ever. Read on for an inside look at the dynamic life of one of the industry’s most ambitious writers.