On April 3rd, ICE welcomed Chef Donald Link as part of our ongoing Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs series. This was a unique opportunity for ICE's student body and the general public to interact with one of New Orleans' leading chefs and restaurateurs.

Wall Street consultant. Macaron master. International pastry competitor. Best-selling author. Like many culinary professionals, ICE Chef-Instructor Kathryn Gordon never intended to work in food. Yet today, this former management consultant is one of ICE’s most celebrated pastry instructors, and one of the country’s foremost experts on the finicky art of French macarons.

What do the pastry chef of Riverpark, a sous chef for Union Square Events, the HR director of Breads Bakery, a pastry cook for Jean-Georges, a sales associate at D’Artagnan and a cook for Gracie Mansion have in common? They are all ICE alumni and they were all welcomed back to ICE for our Annual Alumni Party.

It's not every cake designer who gets recruited by the likes of Martha Stewart, InStyle Weddings, and Oprah Winfrey. Building on her former career as a photo editor/director, love of art and infatuation with chocolate, Kate Sullivan brings more than 20 years of creative innovation to cake decorating. This summer, ICE's Center for Advanced Pastry Studies (CAPS) is thrilled to host an exclusive two-day workshop with Sullivan, highlighting such techniques as hand-painting and tie-dyed cakes.

In 2005, The New York Times published an article by Frank Bruni (then restaurant critic and editor of the Dining In/Dining Out section) about Roman cuisine. The article's overall message was: “nothing new is going on in Roman cuisine!”. After a recent trip to Rome, my wife, Cheryl, and I are happy to report that this is still true.

When it comes to skills that separate home cooks from professional chefs, there's perhaps nothing that draws the line more clearly than butchery. Sure, the average home cook doesn't have very good knife skills (the #1 chef essential), but they can still manage to dice an onion, even if they’re not using proper technique. But home cooks typically don't even attempt butchery. They barely think about it. And if it weren't for the fact that many of them need to carve a cooked turkey on Thanksgiving, the concept of breaking down a whole animal might never even cross their minds.

Often referred to as the "Oscars of Food", the annual James Beard Awards honor the country's most respected chefs, restaurateurs, beverage professionals, food journalists, activists and media professionals. As one of the most anticipated culinary events each year, the JBF gala is always full of exciting wins for the ICE alumni community and offers an exceptional opportunity for current ICE students to volunteer alongside the industry's most respected chefs

Maine's Allagash Brewing Company is nearing its 20 year anniversary, producing beer in a state-of-the-art expanded space and serving their brews on tap in more bars and restaurants than ever before. ICE has long had a close relationship with Allagash founder and owner, Rob Tod, and was thrilled to have him lead a tasting of his signature beers, from classical to experimental.

ICE Creative Director Michael Laiskonis shares his recommended reading list for aspiring chefs.

This weekend marks the climax of the 2014 culinary awards season, as the industry's leading chefs and culinary professionals head to Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater for the 24th annual James Beard Awards.