Two chefs work in a kitchen with black striped aprons

Careers Inside the Kitchen

Though culinary industry opportunities aren't limited to restaurant kitchens, a healthy number of ICE graduates go on to rise through the ranks in restaurant kitchens around the world. Within these kitchens, our graduates play a variety of integral roles.

Below is an overview of different types of careers inside the kitchen, and some examples of ICE alumni who have found success within each.

Cooking Up Opportunities

Executive Chef career example speaking to chefs

Executive Chef Careers

Executive chefs are responsible for overseeing other chefs and staff in the kitchen, which makes having leadership experience extremely important. They also lead the way in terms of creating the menu, training new members of the team and making sure the kitchen operations run smoothly.

ICE Alumni in the Spotlight:

Pastry chef career plating display

Pastry Chef Careers

The Pastry Chef is another leader in the kitchen, from a creative and operational standpoint. While this position may report to an Executive Chef, the Pastry Chef is responsible for creating desserts and pastries to accompany the menu. The Pastry Chef also has creative freedom to test new recipes for desserts and pastries.  

ICE Alumni in the Spotlight:

Restaurant dining room table with wine glass, photo by Tod Porter and Diane Cu

Chef-Owners and Restaurateur Careers

As the titles suggest, chef-owners and restaurateurs own or manage a restaurant or food business. They can also be the originator of the business concept and play an important role in the growth of the business. In the case of a chef-owner, the menu may be within their creative control as well.

ICE Alumni in the Spotlight: