International Culinary Center

5 Ways Food Can Help The Environment

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:47:27 +0000

5 Ways Food Can Help The Environment jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 10:47 May 7, 2017

I’ve only been in culinary school for four months, and I’ve already learned so much. Training with some of the most amazing chefs has taught me not only pristine cooking skills but also some unforgettable life skills. I’ve learned how to be a better chef, student, and overall person. As days go by, I’m beginning to realize the impact my peers and I make on the planet just by the way we cook in the kitchen. You wouldn’t believe how much one wastes until you realize what all you can make out of a single vegetable.

Although it is to be considered a new trend, sustainability and nutrition are very important to not only cooking but our planet as a whole. Knowing what you are taking out of the environment is essential to creating delicious dishes but knowing how to replenish the environment is even more important. As Earth Day just passed, I’d like to dedicate my first article to five ways food can change the environment.

1. Compost — Not Trash!

It may be very difficult to get into a new routine when you’ve already grown familiar to one. For a while, I was just tossing out scraps of vegetables and fruits. Now, I’ve learned that instead of throwing it away, compost it, so that it can be used to grow more vegetables and fruits.

2. Buy Organic

Yes, organic produce is more expensive than your regular produce, but these vegetables and fruits aren’t covered in pesticides or mutated with unknown DNA. How does this help the environment? Well, you, yourself, are a part of the environment so why would you want to harm yourself with chemical-ridden vegetables and fruits? Plus, the fewer people buy produce covered in pesticides, the more people will join together and realize that pesticides aren’t the best way to protect our produce.

3. Save the Cows!

I’m not saying go vegan or vegetarian. I’m saying you should be knowledgeable of where you get your meat from and how the livestock is treated. You do not want to support a feedlot or farm/barn raised cattle. This means that these animals are kept in poor conditions. Allowing the livestock to roam will not only affect the flavor of the meat but will also create a better life for the animals. Always be appreciative of the meat and produce that you can have from the environment.

4. Buy Local

This supports small businesses as well as the environment. Attending the weekly farmers’ market will introduce you to farms in your area that produce whole, clean produce. It is rare, but there are always a few people who like to false advertise their produce. So be cautious and research before you buy.

5. Eat Less

As Americans, we tend to want it all! The worst part is, we get it all, and then we can’t use it all at once, and then we waste it. Prevent waste by buying only what you need. Stop stocking up at Costco on things that will surely go bad quickly, and limit the number of things you put in your fridge. The less you buy, the less you waste. This will save you money and save the planet.

Before all of this, I didn’t know “Saving the Planet” was so easy. I was so quick to assume that it was a long and boring process, and honestly, I was annoyed by those that cared so much. After realizing the huge impact humans make on this planet, instead of turning a blind eye, I’m going to start making some serious life changes. I owe it to myself, the food industry and whoever comes after me to do so.

Written by Kaya Daniels
ICC California Campus, Professional Culinary Arts Student

Kaya Daniels graduated from the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. ICC’s culinary education legacy lives on at ICE, where you can explore your own future in food.

Add new comment

Student Life: Teamwork On The Line

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:43:08 +0000

Student Life: Teamwork On The Line jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 10:43 January 31, 2017

By International Culinary Center

The “line”, a stressful environment in the kitchen full of heat, noise and controlled chaos. Adrenaline and your team get you through the next “push” as the tickets pour out, just like water out of a fire-hose.

The “line”, heavy fifty foot lengths of hose filled with water, held onto by the “attack team” as they make the “push” down the hallway towards the fire. Just like in the kitchen, adrenaline and teamwork gets you through it.

This correlation between the firehouse and kitchen was clearly evident to me the first time a I cooked on the line at the restaurant. It may seem obvious, but unfortunately it can be easier said than done. Firehouses and kitchens are a conglomeration of personalities, some you can say “work well with others” while some prefer to try and get the job done on their own. Unfortunately, the latter almost always leads to the job not getting done properly, efficiently or at all for that matter. Teamwork on the line is best when it has almost become instinctual, you notice when the other cook may be falling behind and know exactly what needs to be done to help get through the situation. Same thing applies to the fire-ground. When you see your brother having a difficult time performing a task, you jump right in to help without them needing to ask. And herein lies another common thread, the unwillingness to ask for help.

We have all been there, you are in the weeds or the hose-line is getting heavy, yet you don’t ask for help. More often than not it is due to some underlying self-pride or machismo that we fear may be in jeopardy. There have been cases where firefighters should have called a “mayday”, the term used when you are in distress and need assistance, but don’t due to the same reasons cooks don’t ask for help. Unfortunately in these cases it is worse than some burnt steaks or overcooked vegetables.

At the end of the shift, we all want to go home knowing we did the best we could. Working as a team is essential for this to happen and sometimes we need to just swallow our pride and admit we need a little help.

Like the saying goes, “teamwork makes the dream work”!

Written by AJ Fusco
ICC Professional Culinary Arts Student

AJ Fusco graduated from the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. ICC’s culinary education legacy lives on at ICE, where you can explore your own future in food.

Add new comment

Celebrate Lunar New Year with a Black Sesame Gâteau Basque

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:41:04 +0000

Celebrate Lunar New Year with a Black Sesame Gâteau Basque jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 10:41 January 25, 2017

By International Culinary Center

In honor of the Lunar New Year this Saturday, January 28, Director of Pastry Operations Jansen Chan shares his recipe for a classic french pastry with an Asian twist. In collaboration Sinovision, Chef Jansen incorporates black sesame to further illustrate the fusions between French and Chinese cultures.

Watch and learn how to create this delicious treat to welcome in the year of the rooster.

“Traditionally, Lunar New Year is celebrated with a selection of confections or fresh fruit, which you can have out all day for visiting friends and family. The French pastry, Gâteau Basque, is rich and delicious, and this version incorporates a popular Asian ingredient, black sesame, in its creamy, custardy filling. It holds beautifully for a few days and is an unexpected dish to honor the New Year.” – Jansen Chan

Recipe: Black Sesame Gâteau Basque With Cherries
Yield: one – 8” cake

Ingredients for Gâteau Basque Assembly:

½ Gâteau Basque dough

½ Black sesame pastry cream, cooled

½ cup dried or poached and drained sour cherries

Egg wash

Black and white sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Procedures for Gâteau Basque Assembly:

Prepare 8” cake pan or cake ring with butter or pan release spray.
Place the dough batter into a piping bag fitted with a #4 piping tip.
Starting in the center of the pan, pipe an even spiral of dough around the base of the pan, and up the sides, about 1” high.
Place the pastry cream in the center well, making sure no custard is touching the sides of the pan.
Sprinkle cherries on top of the pastry cream, pushing them in slightly to create a flat surface.
Pipe another spiral of dough on top of the pastry cream, sealing the filling in. If necessary, spread the dough smooth on top.
Brush the top of the dough with egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds as desired.
Bake at room temperature 375 F for 25-30 mins., or until a deep, golden brown.
Allow to cool before unmolding.
Serve at room temperature.

Ingredients for Black Sesame Pastry Cream:

100 g. black sesame seeds

60 g. sesame oil

500 g. milk

100 g. sugar

5 egg yolks

40 g. cornstarch

¼ t. salt

Procedures for Black Sesame Pastry Cream:

Blend sesame seeds and sesame oil until it forms a thick paste. Reserve.
In a medium saucepan, bring milk and half of the sugar to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and cornstarch together.
Off heat, add ¼ of hot milk to egg mixture and whisk. Return entire mixture to the pot.
Over medium heat, continue to cook with a whisk, until fully boiling. Allow to boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in black sesame paste and salt.
Transfer to plastic lined tray, cover with additional plastic wrap, and allow to cool.

Ingredients for Gâteau Basque Dough:

400 g. butter, at room temperature

400 g. sugar

6 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

300 g. flour

1 t. baking powder

¾ t. salt

Procedures for Gâteau Basque Dough:

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Slowly add the eggs and vanilla to the mixture, scraping occasionally.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add all the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and continue to paddle until just combined.
Use immediately

Jansen Chan was formerly on staff at the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. The school and this chef’s culinary education legacy live on at ICE, where you can explore your own future in food.

Add new comment

Holidays Around The World

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:35:19 +0000

Holidays Around The World jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 10:35 December 10, 2018

By International Culinary Center

The holiday season is a time for family, and friends, to come together and create lifelong memories while celebrating the cherished traditions of their culture. For most, these gatherings are centered around sharing meals with loved ones that highlight some of the best food traditions the world has to offer! Since our chef-instructors hail from many different countries around the world, we asked them to share some of their favorite holiday food memories and cherished traditions of their childhoods. Read their stories below and get some inspiration for your holiday menu!

1. CHEF JÜRGEN DAVID, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PASTRY

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

“One of my favorite childhood memories was going to the big Christmas Market in front of Town Hall in the heart of Vienna. The largest Christmas Market, it was beautifully decorated with sparkles, candles gingerbread and Christmas trees everywhere. The town hall would be lit up with lights that you could see from a mile away!

There would be lots of tasty morsels and hot cider, but the best thing was having your pockets filled with roasted chestnuts. We would get a little paper cone—there would be about 10 to 12 little pieces—and you put them in your cold pocket. Not only were they delicious, but they would also keep your hands warm while you walked around the market. These were my favorite thing to eat during the holiday season. It still warms my heart every time I think about it, and makes me homesick—in a good way. It’s not Christmas without roasted chestnuts, so I make them every year!”

2. CHEF NATALIA POZZI, EVENTS COORDINATOR

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

“Every year, the Christmas dinner would happen at my grandmother’s house where she lived in the country, and we would have our traditional Brazilian Christmas supper. Usually it includes turkey, Chester chicken, salted Bacalhau, rice—of course, because we are from South America—a lot of fruits and a panettone. My favorite part of the meal also included Farofa, which is a toasted manioc flour mixture. It can be sweet with fruits or salty with bacon, and I remember my mom always making this for any holiday occasion.

My favorite Christmas memory has to do with my father. Two months before Christmas, I would go with my dad to a place where they raised suckling pig. He would choose the pig to eat at Christmas, and he would marinate the pig in the fridge for days and baste it for hours before the meal. At the end, he would pour the hot oil over the skin and it would become crispy and golden. I remember him putting the pig on the table, and every year he would serve it because he knew the proper way for everyone to get the moist meat and crispy skin.

Both of my parents are very good cooks, so all of my inspiration about flavor and traditional technique comes from them. My dad in particular loves to cook anything Brazilian style. Nowadays, we compete to see who is the better cook, and he always wins!”

3. CHEF KIR RODRIQUEZ, ASSOCIATE PASTRY COORDINATOR & CHEF-INSTRUCTOR

PUERTO RICO

“Growing up in Puerto Rico my family was all about food, specifically during the holidays. My grandfather had a big farm with pigs for lechón, chickens for arroz con pollo, cows for fresh cheese and root vegetables like taro root, malanga, potatoes, as well as other vegetables like plantains and bananas for pasteles. And let’s not forget about the coquito (like an eggnog without eggs and lots of rum).

The holidays were a big family event and everyone was involved in the preparations. Holidays for us meant the whole month of December all the way to January 6 which is Three Kings, and then we would start the Octavitas, which was an extension of the holidays for two more weeks.

So much fun. I still celebrate Three Kings with a big party for all the family in our home in New Jersey.”

4. CHEF JOSÉ MENÉNDEZ, CHEF-INSTRUCTOR

MADRID, SPAIN

“Most people have memories of Christmas celebrations during their childhood, and although I lived a happy childhood thanks to my parents, I remember Christmas as a time of work for my whole family. My parents, both Chefs, had several restaurants in Spain, and we grew up surrounded by the constant hustle and bustle of the kitchens. During Christmas and around the busy holiday season, the work quickly multiplied by ten.

So, instead of a picture of my family enjoying a dinner at home, I wanted to share a picture of my father’s first restaurant in 1952, as this is how I remember my childhood. My brothers and I worked to help my parents, as they would give many of the staff the time off to enjoy the holidays with their families.

Our Christmas dinners were with all the staff of the restaurant, so that memory and reality has accompanied me throughout my professional life. Even so, I remember the dinners with a great union and camaraderie that I have always taken with me wherever I have gone. The classic main course of the holiday dinners would always be a roasted milk fed lamb which I remember to this day.”

This blog post was originally published by the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. Explore your culinary education where the legacy lives on.

Add new comment

Inside ICC Holiday Hacks: Simple Pie Dough

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:19:49 +0000

Inside ICC Holiday Hacks: Simple Pie Dough jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 10:19 November 16, 2016

By International Culinary Center

In our latest edition of Inside ICC: Holiday Hacks, Pastry Chef Instructor Michael Zebrowski shows how to create a simple, yet perfect pie crust that will bring your homemade pies to the next level! Full recipe below.

Ingredients – Yields 10 (6-inch) pies

1000 grams all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 teaspoons sugar

560 grams cold butter, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

16 grams white vinegar.

Manual Process [As seen in video]

Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Sprinkle the cubed butter pieces over the dry ingredients
Using a bowl scraper or fingers, cut or rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces are about 1/4 inch, or approximately the size of green peas.
Combine the ice water and the vinegar. Sprinkle half of the liquid over the butter and flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula or by hand, gently toss the mixture to incorporate. Continue adding the liquid, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a rough, shaggy dough. The dough should just hold together when pressed between two fingers.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half and gently shape it into two rounds. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2-3 days or frozen for 1-2 months.

Add new comment

Step 1 - Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Sprinkle the cubed butter pieces over the dry ingredients; Step 2 - Using a bowl scraper or fingers, cut or rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces are about 1/4 inch, or approximately the size of green peas; Step 3 - Combine the ice water and the vinegar. Sprinkle half of the liquid over the butter and flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula or by hand, gently toss the mixture to incorporate; Step 4 - Continue adding the liquid, a little at a time, until the mixture forms a rough, shaggy dough. The dough should just hold together when pressed between two fingers; Step 5 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half and gently shape it into two rounds. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2-3 days or frozen for 1-2 months;

Pumpkin Financier

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:11:07 +0000

Pumpkin Financier jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 10:11 September 30, 2016

By International Culinary Center

PUMPKIN FINANCIER
Yield: 12-4 oz. muffin-size financiers

8 oz. Butter
1 t. Cinnamon, ground
½ t. Nutmeg, ground
¼ t. Ginger, ground
¼ t. Cloves, ground
¾ cup All-purpose flour
1 cup Almond flour
1 cup Powdered sugar
¼ t. Salt
7 Egg whites
½ cup Pumpkin puree
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Pumpkin seeds, optional, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, whisking occasionally. As the mixture begins to boil, continue stirring, until the butter is lightly browned and has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately and add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Allow to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in another bowl, stir together the flours, powdered sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and pumpkin together until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly.
Pour about 1/3 of the warm browned butter into the mixture and whisk, until smooth. Repeat twice more, adding 1/3 of the butter each time.
Allow mixture to rest and cool in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Divide the batter into greased cupcake pans.
Top with pumpkin seeds and dust with powdered sugar.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before unmolding.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Add new comment

A Cuisine in Ferment

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 13:53:34 +0000

A Cuisine in Ferment jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 09:53 July 28, 2016

By International Culinary Center

Judy Joo, the studious, Jersey-raised daughter of Korean refugees, left Wall Street to bring the bracing food of Korea to TV and now a cookbook.

Uprooted by the communists, little Eui Don Joo, his eight siblings and their parents put what belongings they could on their backs and walked south. The family had been landlords and farm owners in northern Korea, but now, as war raged in the early 1950s, they were refugees. In his backpack, Eui Don, the youngest, about age five, bore the lightest load, but the most crucial: rolls of fine silk. With Korean currency worthless, silk could be bartered for essentials, most of all food.

Eui Don’s daughter, Judy Joo—author of the new cookbook, Korean Food Made Simple(HMH, $30), based on her Cooking Channel series of the same name—learned perseverence and scholarship from her father, who came to this country in 1967 after graduating from medical school in Seoul. She learned those virtues and Korean cooking from her mother, Young Nim Park, who left Korea in 1968 with a scholarship to Ohio State, where she earned a master’s degree in chemistry. Eui Don became a psychiatrist. Joo’s parents met in Michigan and eventually settled in Berkeley Heights.

At the exclusive Kent Place School in Summit, Joo and her older sister, Sonya, were the only Asians. “Our parents pushed us hard. ‘You have to succeed! Play the violin, play the piano, excel!’” Joo recalls with a laugh. “I didn’t read that Tiger Mother book. I lived it.”

Partly to help her daughters fit in, their mom made them pb&j sandwiches for school lunch. But family meals were always Korean and made from scratch. “The laundry room,” Joo writes in her cookbook, “teemed with jars and containers stacked precariously, filled with fermenting drinks, bowls full of soaking tripe, mung beans, bean sprouts, or rice. The adjoining garage had rows of drying seaweed on hangers, chiles, and a small foil-wrapped charcoal grill for barbecue perched in the corner.”

At Columbia University, Joo majored in industrial engineering and operations research. She became a financial analyst and, at age 22, worked the trading floor. “It was a crazy environment,” she recalls, “with 500 people on the floor, 48 phone lines, a headset, two handsets, six screens in front of you. You’re yelling all day. The market is always moving, so you have to handle stress effectively and have a ridiculous memory. You either sink or swim.” She swam, but soon realized she didn’t love the pool.

What Joo did love was food and restaurants. So she quit and got a degree in pastry arts from the French Culinary Institute in New York. Why pastry? “Because of the science factor,” she says, referring to the precision required. She cooked, among other places, at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in the Napa Valley and Heston Blumenthal’s high-tech Fat Duck in London. After the stress of the trading floor, the pressure of a high-end restaurant kitchen was “not that big a deal.”

In London, Joo became a U.K. Iron Chef, competing in some 200 battles. She was executive chef of the London Playboy Club, working some Korean influences into her menu, when a backer who had eaten her food called out of the blue and offered her the chance to open her own restaurant. “I didn’t really want to,” she says, “because I knew how much work it was.” But she bit.

Jinjuu (Korean for Pearl) opened in London’s Soho in early 2015. By year’s end, through a cold call from another backer, she had opened another Jinjuu in Hong Kong. Now she commutes between those two cities and New York, where she appears on various Food Network shows and sees her family.

Joo’s book leads cooks gently from dishes that have gone mainstream—like crackly Korean fried chicken and kimchi, the spicy fermented condiment and ingredient—into the heart of a hearty and healthy cuisine.

Anything Jersey in the book? Yes! Kimchi pulled-pork disco fries—a tribute, Joo says, to the many hours she whiled away in the diners of Route 22.

By Eric Levin
Appears in the July 2016 issue of New Jersey Monthly

Judy Joo graduated from the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. ICC’s culinary education legacy lives on at ICE, where you can explore your own future in food.

Add new comment

ICC Celebrates 2019 Commencement Ceremony at Carnegie Hall

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 11:38:17 +0000

ICC Celebrates 2019 Commencement Ceremony at Carnegie Hall jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 07:38 June 5, 2019

By International Culinary Center

In 1891, Carnegie Hall was founded on the premise “…that this hall will intertwine itself with the history of our country.” (Andrew Carnegie, 1890) 128 years later, aspiring chefs and sommeliers join the list of musical legends like Édith Piaf, Frank Zappa and Benny Goodman who took center stage in the world-renowned theater. For the seventh year running, graduates of ICC’s career programs from June 2018 to May 2019 took to the Carnegie Hall stage to celebrate their hard work and accomplishments at ICC’s Annual Commencement Ceremony held on Sunday, June 2. This also marked the school’s 35th Anniversary since its founding as The French Culinary Institute in 1984.

To say the energy in the grand hall was palpable is an understatement. As graduates marched to the cherished melody of Pomp and Circumstance, families and friends, who travelled far and wide to celebrate this year’s graduates, filled the space with explosions of applause. They were joined by members of the ICC Community—Faculty & Staff, Deans, Chef Instructors and Outstanding Alumni Award winners—all of whom shared in cheers of excitement! ICC President Erik Murnighan—who graduated from the culinary program almost two decades ago—began the ceremony by sharing what he believes to be the true measure of success in our industry. Mr. Murnighan shared that, “doing what you love and achieving your goals are great measures of success, celebrity or not. In fact, the highest regarded celebrities in our industry are those who built a successful career first and garnered celebrity based on their accomplishments.”

He went on to note that success is, “forging a new path, creating something unique and interesting, and making people happy.” While many ICC alumni have gone on to achieve notoriety as celebrity chefs, there are others who have created something important to their communities—whether it’s a restaurant, artisanal ice cream shop or popular wine store—that continue to impact the culinary landscape regardless of whether they are a “household name”. We’re proud to see these alumni achieve success in so many different areas to pave the way for the next generation.

This sentiment certainly rings true for our 2019 Outstanding Alumni Award winners, each of whom demonstrate excellence in their field of study and whose achievements contribute to shaping our culinary and hospitality communities. Leland Clark, Vice President of Student Affairs, presented this years awards to five very deserving recipients—Scott Tacinelli of Don Angie for Excellence in Culinary Arts, Zoë Kanan of Simon and the Whale and The Studio for Excellence in Pastry Arts, Vanessa Da Silva of Ninety Acres for Outstanding Sommelier, Matt Monahan of Other Half Brewing for Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Ben Mims of The Los Angeles Times for Excellence in Media.

Each recipient gave a short acceptance speech where they shared advice for members of the graduating class hoping to follow in their footsteps, like setting personal goals and continuing to be curious. Kanan, who heads up all things sweet and baked at the Freehand Hotel’s establishments, remarked how full circle it was to receive the award that both of her mentor’s— fellow graduates Christina Tosi (Pastry ‘04) and Melissa Weller (Pastry ‘04)—had received years prior. From many years in the industry, Kanan shared the importance of “treating every person that you work beside with compassion and respect, from dishwashers to owners. Kitchen work is teamwork, and support from your team is what will give you an edge.”

Following the presentation of diplomas for Professional Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, Art of International Bread Baking, Cake Techniques & Design and Intensive Sommelier Training graduates, Chef Aarón Sánchez, Commencement Keynote Speaker, addressed the newly minted alumni with words of wisdom for entering the industry . Chef Aarón, who needed no introduction, is a James Beard Award winning Chef/Owner of Johnny Sanchez in New Orleans, and co-star of FOX’s MasterChef and MasterChef Junior. Beyond the kitchen, his philanthropic work has helped to encourage diversity in the kitchen, specifically through the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Fund that provides full culinary scholarships and mentorships to ICC.

Before beginning his speech, Chef Aarón stopped to note the diversity of students walking across the stage, including the many women graduating, and shared the joy he felt in seeing this as the son of a female chef. He commended the graduates for making the bold and courageous choice to enter into the culinary industry, stating that “sadly, only 25% of people out there do what they really love to do.”

Chef Aarón expressed the importance of mentoring and remarked, “I encourage you to make a list of all the people that you admire, whether it’s me, any of the chefs on this stage, your instructors. Write a list and engage those chefs.” Make yourself available and offer your services to them. “If they are really good mentors, they will make that call on your behalf,” Chef shared.

Throughout, Chef Aarón shared advice for realizing your potential, not letting fear hold you back, savoring your culinary memories, trusting the process, and becoming a well-rounded chef—encouraging graduates to travel, read the newspaper and find inspiration in other art forms. To end, he reflected on his initial dreams as a chef to own his own restaurant and be the captain of his own ship. But, he attributes his success to continuing to challenge himself and find new sources of inspiration, which has led him to his various career paths today. He left graduates with these closing words: “The future is extremely bright and extremely delicious!”

Add new comment

Library Notes: Favorites from Phaidon

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 10:53:01 +0000

Library Notes: Favorites from Phaidon jessica Wed, 08/26/2020 - 06:53 May 30, 2018

By International Culinary Center

Written by Sara Quiroz
ICC Librarian

Our friends and neighbors at Phaidon have extended a special offer to the ICC community – a discount on two new titles; Aska and Room for Dessert. Both of these titles are available in the library, so feel free to come have a look if you are interested! ICC students and faculty can use code RDA20 when placing their order at phaidon.com. To celebrate, we are highlighting some other great titles from Phaidon available in the ICC Library.

Room for Dessert by Will Goldfarb is a fan favorite of our pastry department here at ICC. What makes this book really unique is that each dish includes not just your standard header followed by a recipe but a short essay regarding the inspiration behind the dish. The recipes have titles such as “Bitter Grandpa” and “Dessert of Mankind” each with beautiful plating and photography. The book also includes a section on Chef Will’s Lab of Ideas – the people he works with, how to develop new ideas and where he finds inspiration.

Aska by Fredrik Berselius again goes into much detail about inspiration, centered around the places which Chef Fredrik draws inspiration from. Find out all the details about the inner workings of the famed 2 Michelin Star Brooklyn restaurant and learn to prepare some of their most beloved dishes – from flatbread to roasted king crab to chanterelle and spruce fudge. More importantly, learn how Chef Fredrik sources his ingredients and develops his recipes.

Central by Virgilio Martinez will always have a special place in my heart because I recall the demo and book release we hosted for him here at ICC. This daring chef snuck some produce across the border so that we could see, smell and taste some root vegetables usually unavailable in the United States. This unusual cookbook is divided up by elevation including a cultural and gastronomic history of Peru along with recipes for Chef Virgilio’s modern take on the cuisine. The beautiful photos make you feel like you are actually traveling the country and coming back to the kitchen of Central.

Paella by Alberto Herraiz is beloved by many of the ICC Chefs here and pretty much in constant circulation! The book is beautifully designed to look like a rice sack and filled with the background and history of this Spanish Classic along with a wide variety of recipes for different styles and cooking methods. Of course the classics are covered but did you know that you can make Paella without any rice? Check out Herraiz’s version with quinoa and spring vegetables or black spaghetti with mushrooms. How about sweet Paella? Think rice pudding only with global inspirations including such delectable combos as apples and camembert, mango and coconut or green tea and red bean.

Sara Quiroz was formerly on staff at the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. The school and this chef’s culinary education legacy live on at ICE, where you can explore your own future in food.

Add new comment

ICC Alumni Spotlight: Victor Chen

jessica — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 01:05:21 +0000

ICC Alumni Spotlight: Victor Chen jessica Tue, 08/25/2020 - 21:05 June 26, 2018

By International Culinary Center

Since graduating from ICC’s Professional Culinary Arts program in 2011, Victor has developed a multi-faceted career in the food industry by working for Michelin Star fine-dining restaurants, causal fare gastropubs, corporate catering companies, and farm to table dining. Today, he is working at a bakery in Mountain View, CA called the Midwife and the Baker where he and his team create artisanal breads and pastries for wholesale and their stands at local farmer markets.

“I love my career, the crafts I’ve dedicated my life to, and the training and support that I’ve received from ICC in the various pivotal moments in my career as a chef and baker.”

What did your life look like before going to culinary school?

My life before taking the Culinary Arts program at ICC involved being an accountant, sitting in an office waiting to get out of work to enjoy my one great passion in life: going out with friends to eat. Even though I had a passion of eating delicious meals, I had no idea how to cook or bake and was completely lost in the kitchen. I knew that going into class I would be a complete blank state and actually had a bit of fear even handling the knives we were provided.

What inspired you to enroll at ICC?

The pivotal moment was coming to an open house and observing a class in person. After seeing how each of the students worked on dishes and gained personal feedback in their training, I knew that I had to enroll.

Can you describe what your experience was like as a student and some of your fondest memories?

Having hands-on experience with professional equipment, responsive feedback from the instructors and learning how to work in teams were the best preparation for my career in the culinary industry. There are so many aspects about cooking that you just can’t learn from reading in books or from watching videos online. The best training is when you’re actively in the environment using all your senses to focus on mastering your craft. Will this bread take exactly 10 minutes to bake? Will this sauce only need 10 grams of salt just because it is written in a recipe half a lifetime ago? Learning to deviate from recipes, to save a sauce that is off- balanced in flavor or rescuing a dish that wasn’t coming together were some of the many lessons that I learned in the classroom and kitchen environment at ICC.

My fondest memories were listening to stories that the instructors shared about their own experiences working in the industry and how demanding workloads or inspiring moments helped shaped their career development. The stories really helped to bring a humanizing perspective to being in this rewarding career and to know that even the best trained chefs in the world have made mistakes too.

As a career changer, did you ever have any doubts about leaving accounting and pursuing a career in the food and beverage industry? Where did you find the reassurance to persevere?

Yes. Ģ��Ƶ halfway through my classes, I was still unsure if I really wanted to take my training further and work inside restaurants. The culinary world appeared so mysterious to me and I didn’t know if I would thrive in a professional kitchen. It was through the guidance of my classmates and also of the ICC career services office that helped encourage me to interview at local restaurants. After participating in an internship at a French Brasserie, I was hooked. The training in class was instrumental in helping me feel confident in the restaurant when my chef would ask me to make an emulsified sauce, scale a recipe, or try plating the night’s special—I knew this was where I wanted to be.

What advice do you have for students new to the kitchen?

My advice to new students is to have patience for your craft. Don’t get frustrated when you don’t quite get a technique, if you make mistakes, or if it just seems like you aren’t making leaps and bounds and getting any recognition. Mastering a craft takes a lot of discipline and a lot of time. It may take much longer than you expect but as long as you keep making small improvements every day, work a little cleaner, faster, and tastier, you’ll make progress and reach your goals. If you keep learning, keep improving and avoid making the same mistake twice, you’ll be on the right track.

How have you used your education in the your culinary career?

The training and support that I have received from ICC were crucial to helping to prepare me for my time working as a cook in restaurants as well as my eventual transition to becoming a baker. Technical training in class such as having knife skills, moving quickly, working in a clean fashion, and having enthusiasm for our craft were all elements that were valuable in all of the kitchen environments I would later join. Even as I transitioned from being a savory line cook to becoming a bread baker, those lessons that I learned from ICC were carried forward in providing me an advantageous perspective to learning new techniques, working as a valuable teammate, and honing my expertise in my new-found craft. Now whenever I go out to eat, or enjoy a delicious pastry, I can look between the lines and analyze all the tender care and techniques used to create complex sauces, intricate lamination between dough’s, and the time and work that went into the craft. Whenever people see an amazing dish and ask if I can recreate it, I know with eagerness that even if I couldn’t right at that moment, I have the training needed to learn. By taking the training I received from ICC and pursuing a career in both the restaurant and bakery worlds, I knew it was one of the best decisions I could have made.

You started out as a cook. How did you discover your love of bread and become a baker?

Two years ago while working the pasta station, I was asked by my chef to fill-in for our pastry chef who was taking time off. After being instructed on how to create these delicious loaves of bread, I felt the need to learn more. Using the resources available to me at the ICC student library, I read about bread baking and researched the craft. It was soon after I decided to make an official pivot in my career and become a bread baker. I was able to make a successful transition from a cook to bread baking because I made use of ICC’s alumni resources: I contacted ICC career services office to seek advice in how to best make the career change and also for contacts in a new city. The amazing team responded with incredible kindness and direction to help get me transition into a new role in a new city. I felt so incredibly supported throughout the process and couldn’t thank the career services office enough.

Tell us about The Midwife and the Baker and what your role is in the bakery.

I am currently working as an artisanal bread baker in a local bakery called The Midwife and the Baker located in Mountain View, California. My role as a bread baker varies day to day but includes responsibilities such as scaling recipes, mixing and developing doughs, shaping, baking bread, organizing distribution, and selling breads to customers at the bakery and at local farmer markets. The job is physically demanding as there are long hours on your feet, constant heavy lifting, and being blasted by the heat of a hot oven, but the rewards of a hard morning’s work to create sensational breads and mastering a craft outweigh all of the physical pains. My favorite part of the day is examining the breads and seeing how any small variation I have made in my technique has on improving the quality of the bread, whether it be shaping the dough tighter or looser, adding more or less water to the dough, or just letting the bread bake a little longer. My mind races to run all of the computations on how all of these little small variations result in the final product, to record them in a mental log of all my experiences and to produce an even better product tomorrow.

What is next for you?

My goal is to tie together all of the past elements of my life experiences: business, savory, and bread baking, and to open my own bakery and café. I believe that with the instructions I have received from ICC and the guidance and practice I have experienced in my time working at restaurants and bakeries will be instrumental in preparing me for success in the near future. Can’t wait to make my dream come true!

Victor Chen graduated from the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. ICC’s culinary education legacy lives on at ICE, where you can explore your own future in food.