Culinary school students working in the kitchen at the Institute of Culinary Education

About ICE

Ranked No. 1 Culinary School in America*

The Institute of Culinary Education has launched more than 17,900 careers in the food and hospitality industries.

Since its founding in 1975, The Institute of Culinary Education has been a recognized leader in the field of culinary and hospitality education. With campuses in New York City and Los Angeles as well as comprehensive online training options, students can earn diplomas, degrees or certificates in a wide variety of disciplines. Having locations in two of America’s culinary capitals puts ICE at the heart of the industry. We play host to some of the great culinary thought leaders of our time and put students in a position to launch their careers in some of America’s best restaurants. ICE is committed to helping the next generation of culinary professionals find their culinary voice.

Our Vision

To be an exciting, creative and joyful place where students of all ages and backgrounds are inspired to learn and pursue their passion for food and hospitality. 

Our Mission

We are dedicated to inspiring our students to reach their full potential through an education that emphasizes technique and professionalism. We will accomplish this in a passionate, disciplined environment that fosters excellence, critical thinking and creativity in students, faculty and staff. The Institute of Culinary Education is committed to ongoing assessment and institutional improvement for the benefit of our students, staff, faculty and administration.

Our Values

The Institute of Culinary Education is guided by our core values of excellence, discipline, professionalism, passion and creativity.

Read Our Story to learn more about ICE’s origins and history of growth.
Have questions? We’ve got answers. Review our FAQs.

Logo for the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and CollegesThe Institute of Culinary Education is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which is a recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education.

 

Logo for the New York State Education Department, Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision
The Institute of Culinary Education’s New York location is licensed by the New York State Education Department, Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision.[1]

Three books sit in a stack"For anyone in the food service business, or even thinking about it, this is a must have guide." - Tim Zagat

Cooking, baking, managing, producing, distilling, brewing, distributing, marketing, writing, photographing, filming, styling — the career opportunities in the food industry today are seemingly endless. Culinary Careers: How to Get Your Dream Job in Food (Clarkson Potter, May 2010) offers candid portraits of dozens of coveted jobs at all levels of the culinary arts and hospitality industry by interviewing actual people who hold those jobs. There’s no better book to help you identify your culinary career options. 

With so many career paths possible, it can be dauting to parse out what job is for you, or how to go about obtaining it. In Culinary Careers, ICE CEO and Chairman Rick Smilow and co-author Anne E. McBride talked to people in all aspects of the industry about their education, career path and day-to-day activities to help people at all stages of their culinary career garner insight into what their next step should be. In this book, readers will:

  • Get the ultimate in advice from those at the very pinnacle of the industry, including Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Lidia Bastianich, David Chang and Ruth Reichl; as well a those on their way up.
  • Read about the inspiring — and sometimes unconventional — paths individuals took to reach their current positions in 89 in-depth profiles.
  • Get insight into dozens of culinary career paths, some of which you may have never heard of!
  • Learn what a food stylist’s day on the set of a major motion picture is like, how a top New York City restaurant publicity firm got off the ground, what to look for in a yacht crew before jumping on board as the chef and so much more.
  • Find out what employers look for, and how you can put your best foot forward in interviews.

Culinary Careers covers topics such as whether you’ll need to attend culinary school, how to choose a culinary school, how to write a resume and interview for a job in this industry, how to advance once you’ve started, what it truly looks like to be a culinary entrepreneur and much more.

The 89 interviews include chefs such as Thomas Keller (California, New York, Las Vegas), Daniel Boulud (New York, Palm Beach, Las Vegas, Vancouver, China), Dan Barber, David Chang (New York), Rick Bayless, Graham Elliot Bowles (Chicago), Joseph Wrede (Taos, New Mexico), and Kelly Liken (Vail, Colorado); pastry chefs such as Gale Gand (Chicago), François Payard (New York, Las Vegas, Brazil), Mindy Segal (Chicago), Erin McKenna (New York, Los Angeles), Michael Laiskonis (New York), and cake designer Elisa Strauss (New York); people from the media world such as Ruth Reichl (author, former editor-in-chief of Gourmet), Michael Ruhlman (author), Gail Simmons (Top Chef ), Molly Wizenberg (the blog Orangette, Bon Appétit), and Susan Spungen (food stylist, former food editor, Martha Stewart Living); food artisans such as Zingerman’s Ari Weinzweig, Chef’s Garden Lee Jones, Allagash Brewing Company’s Rob Tod, and Savannah Bee Company’s Ted Dennard; as well as sommeliers, caterers, company owners, media producers, stylists, photographers, publicists, consultants, educators, and more.

Culinary Careers is available for sale at bookstores nationwide, online at amazon.com, and at ICE.

About the authors:
Rick Smilow is CEO and Chairman of the Institute of Culinary Education. During his tenure, ICE has grown to become one of the nation’s leading culinary education centers, winning coveted awards and producing some of the industry’s top talent. Smilow has an MBA from the Kellogg School and is also a director of Daniel Boulud’s Dinex Restaurant Group and a board member of City Harvest and Careers through Culinary Arts Program.

Anne E. McBride, PhD is a food writer and editor and currently serves as Vice President of Programs at the James Beard Foundation and as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Food Studies program. Previous books include chef François Payard’s Chocolate Epiphany (Clarkson Potter, 2008) and Bite Size (William Morrow, 2006). Previously McBride was a senior cookbook editor at Hippocrene Books and has sat on the board of such culinary societies as the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance and The Association for the Study of Food and Society.

Get to Know ICE

Toque toss at ICE graduation

Commencement

There’s nothing quite like the buzz of anticipation that fills the auditorium for the Institute of Culinary Education's annual commencement ceremonies. Clad in chef’s whites and the iconic toque, students who have completed their programs in the past year gather in the cities of their respective campuses to join their classmates in celebration as they mark the start of their journey from hospitality or culinary school student to industry professional. Online students are invited to attend the annual ICE Los Angeles commencement ceremony.

Two Alumni of the Institute of Culinary Education Standing Together

Alumni

Nothing makes us prouder than seeing our students thriving as alumni. You’ll find our 17,900+ alumni in every corner of the culinary and hospitality field across the country and around the world. From award-winning chefs to food media stars, chart-topping cookbook authors and successful entrepreneurs, ICE’s goal is always to help students Find their Culinary Voice™.

A Chef-Instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education shows students an image on his iPad

Faculty

Our talented instructors come from a variety of backgrounds and are one of the key ingredients in the Institute of Culinary Education's unique recipe for culinary education. While some have worked at America’s finest restaurants, won major industry awards, and opened and operated their own hospitality or food businesses, they all share one thing: a passion for not just doing, but educating. Our faulty members bring an incredible range of skills, extensive networks, and real-world experience into their classrooms. All our instructors are respected experts who have dedicated themselves to training the next generation of culinary arts and hospitality professionals.

A panel featuring leading women in the culinary arts & beverage industry.

Events

Having campuses in the heart of two of America’s culinary capitals means some of the best talent in the food and hospitality world regularly stop by to perform demonstrations, give lectures, sit on panels and recruit ICE students and alumni for their businesses. In addition to hosting these thought-leaders, the Institute of Culinary Education campuses are always a buzz with activity, including regular Open Houses for prospective culinary school students, cooking competitions and even wine tasting and service examinations for entry to the Court of Master Sommeliers, America’s.

DICED Blog Logo

Blog & Social Media

The culinary arts and hospitality world is ever-evolving, and ICE prides itself on being at the forefront of that evolution. On DICED (the official ICE blog) you’ll find stories about industry trends, seasonal recipes, recaps of campus events, and profiles of some of the food and hospitality world’s major players, including our own alumni. Follow the Institute of Culinary Education on social @iceculinary to read our blog stories and much more, including pictures and videos that document the life of a culinary school student.

Four stories from the News & Media Page

News & Media

As experts on culinary and hospitality topics and trends, the Institute of Culinary Education's Chef-Instructors and staff are regularly called on to weigh in on hot topics, provide cooking, baking, beverage and business advice, and to provide insight into the nuances of the culinary world. With faculty and staff regularly featured in such outlets as Bon Appetit, Martha Stewart, Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Food & Wine and New York Magazine, ICE experts provide education well beyond the culinary school classroom.

ICE Advisory Council

Administration & Advisory Board

It takes the dedication of hundreds of people to make ICE the revered institute it is today. With an administration full of industry professionals, education experts and passionate support staff, the ICE family is committed to providing the best education to every student who walks through our doors. Beyond our administrative staff, the Institute of Culinary Education's Advisory Board  – comprised of some of the most respected and creative working chefs and hospitality experts in the nation – provides invaluable insight to ensure that our students receive training that properly prepares them for life as a culinary or hospitality professional.

Career fair at institute of culinary education

Careers at the Institute of Culinary Education

Come be a part of a company that’s as dynamic as it is delicious! The Institute of Culinary Education is ever-evolving and regularly expanding, which means we’re always looking for top-tier talent. Find positions as a Chef-Instructor, Admissions Representative, Culinary Assistant, Marketing team member and more at our New York and Los Angeles campuses.