An all-star panel assembled at the International Culinary Center on a sunny Saturday afternoon to impart advice from their entrepreneurial experiences. The lineup included social media star Allison Robicelli and her husband Matt Robicelli (Pastry ’04) of the fast-growing Robicelli’s. They spoke alongside Liz Gutman (Pastry ’08) and Jen King (Pastry ’08) of Liddabit Sweets and Rob Liano (Culinary ’12) of the hilariously named Baby Got Back Ribs.

Imagine this: A room filled with 11 different types of cookies, a panel of feisty celebrity judges, and a band of students hoping for gold. Cue: The International Culinary Center’s first annual Cookie Olympics. And things got a little kookie at this cookie competition. Let me explain.

Known as the Oscars of the food world, the James Beard Foundation Awards celebrate America’s top talent in all facets of the culinary industry.