A busy, fast-paced restaurant kitchen

Externships

Practice your craft in the most authentic learning environment — the real world!

For centuries, aspiring chefs have learned their trade through culinary and hospitality apprenticeships.

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.

  • 1010 Bridge Restaurant & Catering
  • 21 Greenpoint - Rockefeller Center
  • 8282
  • abc cocina
  • abc kitchen
  • abc Restaurants
  • abc V
  • Ace Hotel New York
  • Addams Tavern
  • Ai Fiori
  • AJ Sweets and Treats
  • Alinea
  • Amali
  • American Brass
  • Angelina's Kitchen
  • AnnTremet Cake
  • Anything Rolls
  • Aquavit
  • aRoqa
  • Arte Cafe - Upper West
  • Aska
  • Atera
  • Atoboy
  • Baccarat Hotel and Residences
  • Bakery Four
  • Baking Grace
  • Balaboosta
  • Balthazar
  • Bamboo Walk
  • Bandaloop Restaurant
  • Basil Leaf Cafe
  • Batard
  • Battello
  • BCakeNY
  • Belli Baci
  • Bellini
  • Benkerts Bakery
  • Bibble & Sip
  • Bien Cuit
  • Bittersweet Confections
  • Bleu Duck Kitchen
  • Blue Crab Restaurante
  • Blue Hill
  • Blue Hill at Stone Barns
  • Blue Smoke - Battery Park City
  • BOKA
  • Boleria Brazilian Bakery
  • Bolete
  • Bon Appetit French Bakery and Cafe
  • Bonnie's Restaurant                     
  • Boqueria
  • Boucherie West Village
  • Boulud Sud
  • Breads Bakery
  • Buddakan NY
  • BUTLER
  • Butler and the Board
  • Cadence
  • Cafe du Pain Bakery
  • Cake Power
  • Canaan Bread
  • Caribbean Social
  • Carlo's Bakery
  • Carne Mare  NoHo Hospitality Group
  • Casa Mono
  • Catch NYC
  • Caviar Russe                            
  • Chanson Le Salon
  • Charlie Palmer Steak - Bryant Park
  • Chef's Garden-Culinary Vegetable Inst.
  • Chinese Tuxedo
  • Choc O Pain Cafe and Bakery (Commissary)
  • Chris LaVecchia Private Chef
  • Ci Siamo
  • Ciao Gloria
  • Cieslaks Modern Bakery
  • Citi Field
  • City Cakes
  • Claudette
  • Clinton Hall - 51
  • Clover Hill
  • Cocoa Bakery
  • Collective Fare Caterers
  • Colonie
  • Combined by Alanna
  • Comodo NYC
  • Compass Avenues The World School
  • Conrad Hotel  New York
  • Contra
  • COTE Korean Steakhouse
  • Country Club at Castle Pines
  • Craft
  • Crosby Street Hotel
  • Crown Shy
  • CUT by Wolfgang Puck
  • CxRA: Catering by Restaurant Associates
  • Daily Provisions NYC
  • Daniel
  • Delish.com
  • Dirt Candy
  • Disney World
  • Divya's Kitchen
  • Dominique Ansel Bakery
  • Dominique Ansel Workshop
  • Don Angie
  • Doughgirl Cupcakes
  • Dylan Hotel
  • East Harlem School at Exodus House
  • Eastwood Manor Caterers
  • Eat Sunny
  • Eataly
  • Eataly Downtown
  • Edison Hotel
  • Eight Tables by George Chen
  • Eleven Madison Home
  • Eleven Madison Park
  • EM Vietnamese
  • Embassy Suites Hotel
  • Empanada Mama
  • Epicerie Boulud
  • Ernesto's NYC
  • Estela
  • Eterea
  • Farina Caffe
  • Fascino Restaurant
  • Feast & Fetes                           
  • Federal Taphouse
  • Fieldtrip Harlem
  • Flatbush Counter
  • Fork Restaurant
  • Fouquet's
  • Four Horsemen Brooklyn
  • Francie
  • Frenchette 
  • Frog and the Peach                      
  • From Kora
  • Fulgrances Laundromat
  • Gage & Tollner
  • Gaia & Loki
  • Gallagher's Steak House                 
  • Gem Restaurant
  • Glen Oaks Country Club                  
  • Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery
  • Good Cakes and Bakes
  • Gramercy Tavern
  • Hakan
  • Harry's Table by Cipriani
  • Haven  Tampa
  • Heavenly Crumbs
  • Heirloom Kitchen
  • High School for Environmental Studies
  • High Street on Market
  • Hudson Cakery
  • Hunt & Fish Club
  • I'll Cook like Your Mother Catering 
  • Il Buco Restaurant
  • Inspir - Carnegie Hill
  • Iris NYC
  • J's on the Bay
  • James on Main
  • Janie's Life Changing Baked Goods
  • Jayce Baudry French Pastry
  • Jean-Georges
  • Jean-Georges Restaurants
  • jeju noodle bar
  • Jo Jo
  • Joomak Banjum
  • Kabisera
  • Kanopi Atop the Ritz Carlton, Westchester
  • Kimika
  • KING
  • King Palace New Jersey
  • Kossy T Catering
  • L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
  • L'Artusi
  • La Cabra Bakery
  • La Vara
  • Laduree Soho
  • Lafayette Grand Cafe and Bakery
  • Lavo
  • Le Bernardin
  • Le Gratin
  • Le Pavillon
  • Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
  • Leons Full Services
  • Levain Bakery
  • Lilia Ristorante
  • Little Mad
  • Llama Inn
  • Llama San
  • Locanda Verde
  • Lodi
  • Lombardi's Trattoria
  • Loring Place
  • Lupa Osteria Romana
  • Lysee
  • Maddens on Gull Lake
  • Magpie Bakery
  • Mah Ze Dahr Bakery
  • Maldon & Mignonette
  • Marckys Restaurant
  • Marea
  • Marriott Marquis
  • Mars Wrigley
  • Marta
  • Martha & Marley Spoon
  • Meal Prep Chef
  • Mercer Kitchen
  • Mirelle's Restaurant
  • Miriam UWS
  • Misi
  • MLB Network
  • Mokyo
  • Momofuku KO
  • Momofuku Noodle Bar - Columbus Circle
  • Momofuku Ssam Bar
  • Mother's Bistro
  • National Ability Center
  • Newport Vineyards
  • Normandie Bakery
  • Nougatine
  • Nouri
  • Nudibranch
  • NYC Ferry by Hornblower
  • Olmsted
  • One Girl Cookies
  • One White Street
  • Organic Corner
  • Osteria Crescendo
  • Oxalis
  • Oxomoco
  • P.F. Chang's -  West New York
  • Paris Baguette
  • Paris Cafe by Jean-Georges
  • Party Bus Bakeshop
  • Patisserie Florentine
  • Patti Ann's Family Restaurant
  • Peak
  • Peck's
  • per se
  • Peterson's Restaurant
  • Pi Bakerie
  • Plant Wise
  • PLANTA Queen - New York
  • Porchlight
  • Portale Restaurant
  • Porter House New York
  • Prime
  • PRIME 1024
  • Print Restaurant
  • Provenance Meals
  • Pure Sweets
  • Quality Italian
  • Rezdora Restaurant (Osteria Emiliana)
  • Rolo's
  • Ron Ben-Israel Cakes
  • Roots Steakhouse Ridgewood
  • Rosemary's
  • Rosemary's East
  • Royal 35
  • Rub it BBQ
  • Saddle River Inn
  • Saga Restaurant                         
  • Scampi
  • Seeds and Weeds
  • Semma
  • Sen Sakana
  • Sestina
  • Shell and Bones
  • Shukette
  • SIGNATURZ SPORTS BAR
  • Silver Apricot
  • Silvia
  • Simply Honest Kitchen
  • Small Batch
  • Solevo Kitchen and Social
  • Somebody People Denver
  • SoNo Baking Company & Cafe
  • Spring Cafe Aspen
  • St. Thomas Choir School
  • Stone Creek Inn                         
  • Supermoon Bakehouse
  • Sur La Table
  • Sweet Karma Desserts
  • Sweet Rehab New York
  • TAP NYC
  • Taru
  • Temple Court
  • The Amelia Island Equity Club
  • The Bearded Baker
  • The Clocktower
  • The Cookie Corner
  • The Dutch
  • The Ellington
  • The Fulton
  • The Honey Paw
  • The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges
  • The Lobster Club
  • The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges
  • The Mary Lane
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • The Modern
  • The Modernist Hotel LLC
  • The Musket Room
  • The Oaks Lakeside
  • The Pierre, A Taj Hotel
  • The Queensboro
  • The Sofo Spoon
  • The Stanwich Club Inc.
  • The Surf Club Restaurant
  • Thomas Preti Caterers                   
  • Thyme and Tonic
  • TIN Building by Jean-Georges
  • Toma-Tis Restaurant & Grill
  • Tony's at the J House
  • Troutbeck
  • Tula Kitchen
  • Union Square Cafe
  • Union Square Events
  • Upland 
  • Vegan Pastry Lab
  • Villa Borghese
  • Vine & Oak Tavern
  • W Hotel Hoboken
  • Wall Street Grill
  • Washington Square Hotel
  • Washington Squares Pizza
  • Wayan
  • Wellness in the Schools
  • Whitby Hotel
  • Whole Foods-Jericho                     
  • Yun Cafe & Asian Mart
  • Zou Zou's
  • 503W
  • 71Above
  • A Cacao Affair
  • Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery
  • Alexander's Steakhouse
  • Alimento
  • All'Acqua
  • Asterid, DTLA
  • Automat
  • BADMAASH DTLA
  • Baker's Avenue
  • Bar Chelou
  • Becker's Bakery & Deli
  • Beverly Hills Hotel
  • Bicyclette Bistro
  • Bistro 31
  • Blackmarket Bakery
  • Bone Kettle
  • Botanica Restaurant & Market
  • Bottega Louie - Downtown Los Angeles
  • Bourbon Steak Los Angeles
  • Brady's Bakery
  • Bread Lounge
  • Broad Street Oyster Company
  • Bub and Grandma's Bread
  • Bungalow Kitchen
  • Cabra Los Angeles
  • Cafe Birdie
  • Cail Bruich
  • Cakes by Sauly
  • Camphor
  • Cari's Homestyle Bakery
  • Carrara's
  • Cassia LA
  • Castaway
  • Churchill St
  • CIR Lounge
  • Citrin Santa Monica
  • Citrone Restaurant & Bar
  • Command Performance Catering
  • Cookies Cream
  • Cos and Pi
  • Cosa Buona
  • Crema Artisan Bakers
  • Crumbl Cookies Hesperia
  • Crumbl Cookies Valencia
  • CUT Beverly Hills
  • Dedicato Treatment Center
  • Delight Pastry
  • Destroyer LA
  • Dill
  • Disney HR Strategies & Services, LLC
  • Disneyland Resort
  • Dono, Los Angeles
  • Eat Your Flowers
  • Eddie's Italian Eatery
  • El Panon Bakery
  • Ember Restaurant
  • Fanny's Restaurant
  • Farmshop
  • Felix LA
  • Fermentation Farm
  • Fia Restaurant
  • FireLake Grill House/Radisson Blu
  • Fogo de Chao El Segundo
  • Four Seasons, Los Angeles
  • Girl & the Goat
  • Go Cakes
  • Goodboy Bob
  • Grand Casino Bakery
  • Grilled Fraiche
  • Guckenheimer at Riot Games
  • GunSmoke @ Hinoki & the Bird
  • Half Baked Co.
  • Hali'imaile General Store
  • Hillcrest Country Club
  • Holloway House - SOHO House
  • Hotel Bel Air
  • Hotel June - DTLA
  • Hyatt Regency Valencia
  • I Like Pie Bakeshop
  • Inn of the Seventh Ray
  • Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream
  • Jikoni Studios
  • JM Steakhouse
  • JOEY Restaurant DTLA
  • Jon and Vinny's
  • Julienne Fine Foods
  • Ka Papa Cuisine
  • Kali Restaurant
  • Ka'Teen
  • Kato Restaurant
  • Kendall's Brasserie (Patina Group)
  • Kettner Exchange San Diego
  • Kirari West Bake Shop
  • Kitchen and Coffee
  • Kitchen Mouse
  • Knife Pleat
  • La Papillon
  • Laduree Los Angeles
  • Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort and Spa
  • Langham Huntington Pasadena
  • Lasita
  • Le Petit Paris
  • Leo
  • Little Pine
  • Little Saint
  • LKSD Kitchen
  • Lord and Villa Bakery
  • Lou The French on the Block
  • Magari
  • Majordomo
  • MANUELA
  • Manzke
  • Marche Moderne Newport Beach
  • McCalls Meat and Fish, Santa Monica
  • Meat On Ocean
  • Mes Amis
  • Milla Chocolates
  • Mirame
  • Mission Inn
  • Mosaic Hotel
  • Mother Wolf
  • Namaste Omnom
  • Naughty Vegan
  • Nobu Los Angeles
  • North Italia- El Segundao
  • Nothing Bundt Cakes - Rosemead
  • O Sea
  • Ojai Valley Inn
  • Old Brea Chop House
  • Omaniku
  • Osteria Gucci
  • Otium LA
  • Otono
  • Pasjoli
  • Perle Restaurant
  • Pez Cantina Modern Coastal Restaurant
  • Piccalilli
  • Plant Restaurant
  • Porto's Buena Park
  • Porto's Northridge
  • Proof Bakery
  • Providence
  • Redbird
  • Renaud's Bakery & Bistro
  • Republique
  • Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitche
  • RYLA
  • Saline\Hotel Joaquin
  • Salt  & Fin
  • San Manuel Casino
  • Santa Anita Race Track
  • Savage Chef Bar and Grill
  • Septembers Taproom and Eatery
  • Shari Nori
  • Sheraton Pasadena
  • Single Thread Farms
  • SOHO House DTLA
  • Soulbelly BBQ
  • Spago Beverly Hills
  • Sugarbloom Bakery
  • Surf & Sand Resort
  • Sweet Arleen's
  • Sweet Wheat Bakery
  • Syndicate Bakery
  • TAO Los Angeles
  • Tartine Silverlake
  • Tesse Restaurant
  • The Arbour Pasadena
  • The Arcade Bakehouse
  • The Arthur J
  • The Campground
  • The Coeur d"Alene Resort
  • The Draycott
  • The Dutchess
  • The Gateaux Shoppe
  • The Hook and Plow
  • The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges
  • The Lighthouse Cafe
  • The Local Baker and Cafe
  • The Musket Room
  • The Peninsula
  • The Proper Hotel, DTLA
  • The Proper Hotel, Santa Monica
  • The Ranch Malibu
  • The Raymond 1886
  • The Salted Pig
  • The Valley Hunt Club
  • Todo Verde Catering
  • Top Golf
  • Trattoria Amici
  • Trio Palm Springs
  • True Food Kitchen, Pasadena
  • U Street Pizza
  • Union Pasadena
  • Valentine Sweets
  • Verse
  • Vino Wine + Tapas
  • Wakira
  • West Hollywood Edition Hotel
  • Whole Foods Burbank
  • Wolfgang Puck Catering Hollywood
  • Wolfsglen
  • Yang's Kitchen

Chef Teresa Montaño is the owner of Otoño in LA."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.

Chef Tim Hollingsworth is the owner of Otium in LA.“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.

What is an ICE Externship?

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.

A collection of logos of some of the impressive restaurants where ICE Externships happen

Our Incredible Track Record

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.

Choose your path — and make your success.

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.

ICE President Rick Smilow poses for a photo with Chef Aaron Bludorn of Cafe Boulud, Phillip Baltz of Baltz & Company, and Wylie Dufresne of wd~50 and Du's Donuts

Our staff has the connections

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.

Externship Testimonials

ICE alum graduate Gail Simmons

Gail Simmons, Culinary Arts Graduate

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."

ICE alum graduate Mary Attea

Mary Attea, Culinary Arts Graduate

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."

ICE alum graduate Paras Shah

Paras Shah, Culinary Arts Graduate

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.”

Malikah Nelson studied Culinary Arts at ICE

Malikah Nelson, Culinary Arts Graduate

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.”

ICE alum graduate Sonali Ruder

Sonali Ruder, Culinary Arts Graduate

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."