Practice your craft in the most authentic learning environment — the real world!
ICE externships take inspiration from this proven tradition, with our hands-on program.
Two of the prime benefits of ICE’s externship program are that it exposes students to a deep professional network and the program often leads to job offers. In 2022, the school’s Career Services departments in New York and Los Angeles placed students in over 600 establishments across the United States. In New York, 63% of completed ICE externships confirmed to be paid, and 34% of completed ICE externships resulted in a direct hire by the site or an affiliated location. The percentages are even better in Los Angeles, 90% of the ICE externships were paid, and 64% of completed ICE externships resulted in a direct hire by the site or an affiliated location.
With our finger on the pulse of the food and hospitality scene, we help our students gain access to exciting opportunities in a wide array of businesses, from recognized kitchens to award-winning food media outlets to premier hotels.
ICE externships have caught the eye of some of the biggest names in the industry. Top recruiters have included many of America’s most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs, including: Grant Achatz, José Andrés, Dominique Ansel, Dan Barber, Daniel Boulud, Andrew Carmellini, David Chang, Tom Colicchio, Alex Guarnaschelli, Daniel Humm, Thomas Keller, Alfred Portale, Wolfgang Puck, Eric Ripert, Missy Robbins, Marcus Samuelsson, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Stephen Starr.
*the below list reflects externship placements for students in both on-campus and online programs
Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery
AKASHA
Amiga Amore
Applewood Estates
Aska
AttaGirl
Aurora LA
Backbone Restaurant
Bag of Cakes
Bartram Academy
Belle Bakery Cafe
Blind Coyote
BLVD Steak
Bone Kettle
Bottega Louie- Downtown Los Angeles
Bristol Farms- Central Kitchen
Bub & Grandma's
Butter Lab
Cafe Santorini
Casa Agave Cantina y Cocina
Castaway
Citrin Santa Monica
Claremont Resort & Club
Congaree and Penn
Cool Bites Catering
Crumbl Cookies
Crustacean Beverly Hills
D.W. Babcock Elementary
Descanso Restaurant
Disney HR Strategies & Services
Donna Jean Vegan Restaurant
Eight and Sand Tavern
El Chorizo Bakery
Fanny's Restaurant
Farmer's Table
Fitoor
Five Crowns- Newport Beach
Franca's Italian Kitchen and Bar
Girl & the Goat
Glass Hollow Table and Tavern
Go' Bento Sushi
Grandmaster Recorders
Haven Farm + Table
Hayato
Hearth
Hello You're Welcome
Helms Bakery
Holy Basil
House of Vegano
Howlin' Ray's
ID Eclair
Jade Rabbit
Joe Schmoe's
JOEY Restaurant DTLA
John & Vinny's Fairfax
Jonathan Beach Club
Jonathan Club- DTLA
Juniper & Ivy Restaurant
Kali Restaurant
Kama Bistro
Kitchen Fantasy
Kitchen to Go Inc.
Kneaders Bakery & Cafe
Koast
La Jolla Groves
La Morra Pizzeria
Little Flower Candy Co., Pasadena
Little Sister Redondo Beach
Locanda Verde
Loreto
Louisiana Seafood
Ludivine Paris
Magnolia Bakery- LA
Magnolia's- Charleston
Maison Arnaud Larher, Paris
Mama's Kitchen
MANUELA
Marea- Beverly Hills
Mercy Chefs
Meteora
Mi Piace
Mika
Minford Retirement Center
Monsieur Dior
Mother Wolf
Nashville Food Project
New Life Culinary Creations
Ni Hao Bao Dumpling House
Nobu Los Angeles
Nobu Newport Beach
North Italiana- El Segundao
Northgate Markets
NOVA Kitchen & Bar
Oh La La Bakery
Ojai Valley Inn
One Sushi
Orange Hill
Osa Rooftop
Osteria Gucci
Osteria La Buca- Sherman Oaks
Osteria Mozza
Palette Dim Sum
Park-Hyatt Aviara Resort
Peche Seafood Grill
Petite Pastry Shop
Pez Cantina
Pizzeria Mozza
Playa Provisions
Project Angel Food
Pronto Italian Deli- San Clemente
Prose Kitchen & Bar
Protege
Providence Los Angeles
Queen Street Raw Bar & Grill
Randy's Chicken & Waffles
Redbird
Rize Up Bakery
Rolling HIlls Country Club, South Bay
Rose City Catering
SaDec Bistro
Salvatore Restaurant
Samos Cafe & Grill
San Manuel Casino
San Sabino
Sanpin Hall Restaurant
Simply Executive Catering
Sofitel Le Miramar
Somni
Source
Steall- West Hollywood
Sticky Rice- Highland Park
Super Peach by Momofuku
Superba- Calabasas
Sweet Red Peach
Taft-Midway Masonic Lodge No. 426
Talula's Table
TAO Los Angeles
Taste of India
Terrace by Mix Mix
The Acorn
The Arthur J
The Brandy
The Kitchen Classroom
The Local Baker and Cafe
The Oxford Kitchen
The Raymond 1886
The Waterfront Beach Resort
Tiny Boxwoods Holdings, LLC.
Tu Ch
Ubuntu Cafe
Union Pasadena
Ursa
Valencia Country Club
Valle
Van Bakery
Verse
Walker Homestead Farm and Winery
Wayfarer Bread & Pastry
White Dog Cagef
Wildcrust
Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, MGM Grand
Wolfgang Puck Catering- Hollywood; Los Angeles; Chargers Training
Wolfsglen
Woon- Los Angeles
Waamava Restort & Casino @ San Manuel
*the below list reflects externship placements for students in both on-campus and online programs
"The students from ICE are excited and engaged in the kitchen day in, day out. The base knowledge they have gained from their culinary program has given them a great stepping stone to succeed in a high-intensity kitchen like ours at Otoño." — Teresa Montaño, executive chef/owner, Otoño
Chef Teresa is a New Mexico-born, Los Angeles-based chef, best known for her first restaurant, Racion, which appeared on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants List — twice. Otoño is known for featuring “modern Spanish cuisine,” influenced by Montaño’s travels in Spain, particularly the Catalan and Valencia regions.
“The students we have hired upon graduation from ICE have unwavering, positive attitudes and desire to learn and grow. These individuals have proven very reliable, passionate and eager to improve their culinary skills by any means necessary.” — Justin Katsuno, executive sous chef, Spago, Beverly Hills
Chef Justin has been with the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group for more than 10 years. He graduated with a B.B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.
“I appreciate the dedication that ICE has towards the next generation of chefs. The ICE students we have hired are dedicated, hardworking and ready to be immersed in the fast-paced environment of the professional kitchen.” — Tim Hollingsworth, executive chef/owner, Otium and Free Play
Before moving to LA, Chef Tim worked at The French Laundry for 13 years, including four years as chef de cuisine. He has won a James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef of the Year and won “The Final Table,” a global culinary competition series on Netflix.
Similar in concept to an internship, ICE externships are paid or unpaid placements in a professional environment. They are chosen at a student's discretion with the assistance of Career Services advisors as part of ICE Career Resources. Students determine an externship site based on their personal interests and career goals, and ICE externships consistently prove to be an exceptional opportunity for hands-on training, networking at the heart of the industry, and often, job offers.
The final course of our Culinary Arts and Pastry & Baking Arts diploma programs is a 210-hour externship at a restaurant, bakery or other culinary business. Our Health-Centered Culinary Arts, Online Culinary Arts & Food Operations, and Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Management diploma programs end with a 200-hour in-the-field externship. ICE’s Associate Degree programs also culminate with an ICE externship, 360 hours in length.
Our students extern at hundreds of establishments each year — and each experience is as unique as our students. Noteworthy restaurants and bakeries owned and operated by celebrated chefs across America are among these sites, as well as leading food publications, catering companies and luxury hotels. Getting your foot in the door with one of these organizations could be the start of the career you’ve been dreaming about.
ICE externships give you a chance to customize your education. For example, if you’ve always dreamed of working in a sushi restaurant, food truck, butcher shop or artisanal bread bakery, we can gear your search towards the goal of placing you in that particular type of establishment.
Some students also choose to pursue ICE externships outside of the restaurant environment. In past years for example, students passionate about recipe development obtained externships at Food Network, Simply Honest Kitchen and Eat Sunny. Specialty baking externship sites included Breads Bakery, Milk Bar and Dominique Ansel. Students interested in hotel externships found placements at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, and Crosby Street Hotel in New York, as well as the Mosaic Hotel in Beverly Hills and the Four Seasons Los Angeles. Those with interests in catering have completed ICE externships at Abigail Kirsch and Union Square Events, and Wolfgang Puck Catering in Los Angeles.
Faculty and advisors come together as part of ICE's career resources. They assess your career aspirations, skills and academic record to pair you with sites that align with your goals and background. Each ICE externship is structured so that your performance is monitored by the school's professional staff, and subsequent feedback and evaluations are incorporated into your overall grade.
ICE externships are a fantastic opportunity for training and networking in the real world. When you're choosing which culinary school to attend, be sure to ask about externship programs and learn how each program incorporates in-the-field experience into your education.
Judge/Host on Bravo's "Top Chef" and "Top Chef: Just Desserts"
"The externship that I did at ICE actually was probably more important than any single step in my career afterwards. I wanted to be a food writer, so I thought that when I left ICE, I would go to extern at a food magazine. But my career counselor at ICE, not forced me, but certainly encouraged me to go into a top restaurant kitchen, to hone and round out the knowledge I had gained in the classroom. Having the strong culinary background that I learned from ICE really helped me with everything I have done since school. It gave me credibility in the industry, and gave me the language and the skills I needed to later stand beside some of the greatest chefs in the world."
Executive Chef, The Musket Room
"My time at Annisa as an extern was invaluable. No matter where you are, you get out what you put in. Never be afraid to ask questions. There is something to observe and learn in the kitchen at every moment and you have to actively seek out the information. When you show enthusiasm and a strong work ethic, chefs will notice you. And take notes. Always take notes."
Consultant and Research Development Chef
"ICE has changed my life and vision. So far, it's been a tremendous ride. From my externship at Per Se to Momofuku and then at El Bulli in Spain, I must say that I have been pretty blessed to have had such opportunities.”
Culinary-Instructor, Opportunity Charter School
“Attending ICE completely prepared me for my externship experience. I learned technique, terminology, speed and so much more. When you graduate from ICE, you graduate with friends, family and a network for the duration of your career.”
Independent Recipe Developer
"I did my culinary externship in the test kitchen of Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine and am continuing to work with them as a freelance recipe developer. In fact, ten of my recipes have been published in a recent issue of the magazine. Getting my foot in the door as an extern was a great career move."
