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ICE's health-supportive, plant-based cooking curriculum was originally developed by Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D., who pioneered the concept of food as medicine in America and founded the acclaimed Natural Gourmet Institute (NGI). In 2019, the two organizations collaborated to offer NGI's unique plant-forward approach to cooking at ICE. Today, the nationally-accredited program combines a holistic view of food and nutrition, with creativity and innovation in every kitchen classroom.

Food has the powerful potential to heal the body. Our plant-forward cooking classes focus on the health-supportive qualities of ingredients and cooking techniques. In the kitchen, students will be taught how to prepare raw foods, living foods, spa and retreat specialties and how to improvise using seasonal ingredients. In the classroom, our expert instructors will discuss the link between diet, lifestyle and wellness by looking at cardiovascular system health, food and the immune system, the microbiome and detoxification systems. The program will also explore popular diets  including paleo, keto, Ayurveda and macrobiotics.

Seven specific criteria for making mindful and deliberate decisions when sourcing ingredients lie at the foundation of ICE’s Plant-Based Culinary Arts curriculum. These ingredient-sourcing criteria — whole, fresh, seasonal, traditional, balanced, local and delicious — promote a sustainable food system with regard for natural resources and people, while empowering chefs and cooks to lead the conversation about food, wellness and health. These principles extend to the pastry modules, which use ingredients that are more natural, unprocessed and whole. Students are taught how to convert conventional baking recipes to alternatives featuring whole-grain flours and less-refined sweeteners, and how to prepare baked goods and desserts that meet special dietary needs, such as vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.

The indoor hydroponic garden at our NY campus has grown over 250 crop varieties to date in a controlled environment. Students may explore the hydroponic garden alongside the farm manager and their Chef-Instructors to taste herbs and freshly picked produce. Utilizing LED technology and hydroponic irrigation, we grow dozens of crops year-round that can be used in plant-based cooking. This innovative on-campus resource expands students’ palates and inspires their culinary creativity.

To complete the program, students apply the plant-based cooking skills and techniques taught in the classroom to professional kitchens and food businesses through a 200-hour hands-on externship. Our career services experts will then help you find the right position for gaining work experience and building a professional network in your desired field.