When possible, I make the enjoyable effort to have a meal in the restaurants that ICE alumni have opened as executive chef and/or owner. I don't have to travel far to do this in metro New York. But in late August, I made some trips to visit alumni spots in Seattle, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC—all in the space of 12 days! That lead to the idea to have a long distance “roundtable” interview with the three ICE alumni chef/owners: Joncarl Lachman (‘02), Tiffany MacIsaac (’02), and Rachel Yang (’01).

While the chocolate section of the Pastry & Baking Arts program is certainly a highlight for most students, it was truly transformative for a candy-lover like me. While I love to bake, there's nothing quite like crafting beautiful, delectable little candies from scratch. However, prior to beginning the chocolate portion of the pastry program, I had yet to spend much time making chocolate candies. Little did I know, my candy-making horizons were about to expand considerably.

ICE has been training the industry’s top professionals for over 35 years, so it should come as no surprise that our graduates are in every nook and cranny of the food and hospitality field!

While the N ew York City Wine & Food Festival may be best known for hosting walk-around tastings and private dinners with the industry's most innovative and established chefs, an increasingly present—and interesting—aspect of the festival is a growing roster of panel discussions and lectures. Among those I attended at this year's festival was "Pitch Me: How to Turn Your Love For Food Into a Successful Culinary Business," featuring insights from established entrepreneurs on how to build a brand in this increasingly competitive business.

If you're tackling a turducken this year, you'll need some stuffing to stand up to your birds. In the spirit of the dish's origins, this stuffing features Cajun flavor.

Chances are, you'll have some leftover baked sweet potatoes from your holiday dinner. The morning after, wake up, smell the coffee and use those leftovers to fry up some of these delicious sweet potato donuts. (The dipping sauce will give you the energy to go shopping for the holidays to come.)

ICE alum Allison Fishman Task is no stranger to the "nine lives" of a food professional, having braved a number of exciting, challenging and dynamic jobs in a relatively short time.

Every so often, I am presented with a life-affirming reminder of why I decided to pursue my culinary career in New York City. One of these moments came late last month, when I was given the opportunity to be a culinary volunteer at the NYC Wine and Food Festival. Yes, the Wine and Food Festival. The Super Bowl of gastronomic delights.