Is Culinary School Worth It?
“Culinary school isn’t just important, it’s the greatest gift an aspiring culinarian can give themselves,” says ICE’s Vice President of Education, Richard Simpson.
With campuses in two dynamic and exciting food cities — New York City and Los Angeles — and award-winning culinary curricula, ICE brings students to the forefront of the food and hospitality industries.
“I enrolled in culinary school because it allowed me the opportunity to get hands-on experience in a field that I was really curious about which was plant-based holistic cooking techniques,” says Gabrielle “Gabi” Chappel, winner of the latest season of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef” and Plant-Based Culinary Arts alumna.
A Penn State University graduate with degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish, Chef Gabi came to New York to work in production. It wasn't until the COVID-19 pandemic that she decided to dive into making this dream a reality.
“Having a culinary background allows you to understand food from the ground up and it allows you to have a better understanding of the way the culinary industry works,” Chef Gabi continues.
Regardless of which program you choose, whether online or on campus, students are offered a global curriculum taught by dedicated Chef-Instructors who have tenure in the industry.
With a strong job placement record and a clear entrepreneurial focus, ICE is recognized by top chefs and hospitality professionals as a leading pathway to beginning or continuing a wide range of culinary and hospitality careers.
“Another reason culinary school can be so helpful for so many people is the connections that are made and how people get their foot in the door,” says ICE’s Chairman & CEO, Rick Smilow.
Great industry leaders and entrepreneurs stop by both ICE campuses for guest lectures and demos — an invaluable learning opportunity. These events are also streamed live online for students who are unable to attend in person.
“Is culinary school worth it? Yes. It absolutely is worth it. It was so worth it for me,” says Chef Gabi. “It introduced me to new concepts, new theories, new ideas about cooking and about how there’s a unique relationship between chefs and the ingredients and the environment. I wouldn’t have had that without culinary school.”
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