Commencement
Celebrating the Future of the Food, Beverage and Hospitality Industries
Congratulations ICE Graduates!
You are now ICE alumni. We can't wait to see where your Culinary Voice™ takes you.
To all of our 2024-2025 graduates, a sincere and heartfelt congratulations. Your hard work, focus and resilience has met its moment. You have completed your ICE education.
In New York, we welcomed Pastry Chef Jacques Torres and Chef Missy Robbins as our keynote speakers, and ICE alum and Chef Samuel Caucci as our guest speaker. Ceremonies for our program graduates took place at the Borough of Manhattan Community College's Tribeca Performing Arts Center.
Missy Robbins is the Chef/Co-owner of Lilia and Misi in Brooklyn. In 2018, she won the James Beard Foundation award for "Best Chef" New York City.
Jacques Torres is a pioneer in the bean-to-bar chocolate world and a James Beard Foundation "Best Pastry Chef in the U.S." winner.
In Los Angeles, our alumni speaker was Chef Steve Samson, chef and owner of acclaimed LA restaurant Rossoblu. Our keynote speaker was Chef Curtis Stone, who is known for his TV appearances and as the chef and owner of the Michelin-starred Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant.
Congratulations 2023-2024 Graduates!
You did it!
In New York, we welcomed two ICE alumnae, Chef Mashama Bailey (Chef & Co-Founder of The Grey, Savannah, Georgia) and Gabrielle “Gabi” Chappel (recent winner of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef”) as our guest speakers at the Borough of Manhattan Community College's Tribeca Performing Arts Center.
Mashama Bailey won the James Beard Foundation's "Outstanding Chef in America" award in 2019, the first ICE alum to receive this prestigious honor.
In Los Angeles, Chef Evan Funke (Chef & Owner of Felix, Funke and Mother Wolf, Los Angeles, and Tre Dita, Chicago) and ICE alumna Megan Fogarty bestowed words of wisdom to our Los Angeles graduates at Beckman Auditorium at Caltech.
We can't wait to see where your Culinary Voice™ takes you.
It was an honor to host Chef Marcus Samuelsson as our Keynote Speaker, and Chef Orlando Soto (Pastry & Baking Arts, '14) as our Alumni Speaker at our 2023 Commencement ceremony in New York. Watch our ceremony below.
Marcus Samuelsson is an internationally acclaimed chef with restaurants in NYC, Sweden and Ethiopia. His numerous TV appearances include winning Top Chef Masters.
Orlando Soto is the Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin, one of the few restaurants in New York City with three Michelin stars.
It was an honor to host Chef Stephanie Izard as our Keynote Speaker, and Chef Jessica Alferos (Culinary Arts, '19) as our Alumni Speaker at our 2023 Commencement ceremony in Los Angeles. Watch our ceremony below.
New York Campus
It was an honor to host Jacques Pépin, Shenarri Freeman (Plant-Based Culinary Arts, '21) and Mary Attea (Culinary Arts, '11), as speakers at our 2022 Commencement ceremony in Pasadena. Watch our ceremony below.
Los Angeles Campus
It was an honor to host Antonia Lofaso and Michael Kerner (Culinary Arts, '21) as speakers at our 2022 Commencement ceremony in Pasadena. Watch our ceremony below.
It was an honor to recognize our 2019-2021 graduates on Saturday, June 12, with our first virtual commencement ceremony via StageClip! Students submitted photos for their moments of recognition, and ICE alumni Gail Simmons (Culinary, '99), Matt Hyland (Culinary, ‘05), and Shenarri Freeman (Health-Supportive, ’21) inspired graduates about the future of the restaurant industry and their careers to come
New York Campus Ceremony
You can watch the complete ceremony on YouTube below.
Los Angeles Campus Ceremony
You can watch the complete ceremony on YouTube below.
New York Campus
Our annual graduation ceremony featured keynote speaker Dan Barber, alumna speaker Adrienne Cheatham and the traditional toque toss! Read the full recap and watch the Facebook video here!
Graduates can download photos here
Los Angeles Campus
The first commencement ceremony for Los Angeles campus graduates was a huge success! Thanks to Wolfgang Puck for speaking!
2018-2019 graduates can download photos with Chef Wolfgang here and read a recap of the ceremony here.
New York Campus
On Tuesday, May 8, 2018, ICE hosted a remarkable commencement ceremony at NYU's Skirball Center, off of Manhattan's beautiful Washington Square Park. Esther Choi (Culinary ’11), chef-owner of mokbar, delivered an inspiring alumna speech, and one of America's most prestigious restaurateurs — founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group — Danny Meyer honored students with a keynote message.
The atmosphere was buzzing with eager graduates as toques took over the theatre and all fell silent for our esteemed guests' words of wisdom. The event culminated with ICE faculty members proudly presenting diplomas for Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Restaurant & Culinary Management, and Hospitality & Hotel Management, and recognizing this year's award winners with medals. Of course, many photos followed, some highlights from which are showcased below.
New York Campus
On Tuesday, May 9, 2017 — for the very first time — ICE held a momentous commencement ceremony at NYU's Skirball Center to celebrate the graduation of ICE career students who completed their programs in the first half of 2017. ICE President Rick Smilow welcomed 600 proud parents, family and friends to share in the accomplishments of the ICE graduates in attendance. Rick noted the diversity of the students, who represented ICE’s career programs — Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, and Restaurant & Culinary Management — as well as diverse ages, nationalities, educational backgrounds, career aspirations and more.
After months of dedicated work and challenging themselves on a daily basis, the mood of the graduates was nothing less than ecstatic — the excitement in Skirball Center was palpable. Still, the room quieted to a hush as guests listened to a keynote address from acclaimed Chef Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern. The crowd also had the chance to soak in reflections from alumnus Jonathan Defren (Culinary ‘08/Management ‘08/Hospitality ’11), who holds the royal trifecta of diplomas — Culinary Arts, Restaurant & Culinary Management and Hospitality & Hotel Management, and has paved a dynamic career path in the hospitality industry.
Your career starts here
