Chefs gathering at ICE for the FCI tribute party.

VIPs on Campus

Get inspiration from top toques who visit the 51³Ô¹Ï in New York and Los Angeles.

Whether it's chef demos, guest speakers in our Meet the Culinary Entrepreneurs series or campus celebrations, the Institute of Culinary Education has welcomed major industry players on both campuses. 

To name a just few, in recent years, ICE New York has hosted: 

  • Eric Ripert, Chef & Co-Owner, Le Bernardin
  • Daniel Boulud, Chef & Restaurateur, Dinex Group
  • Shenarri Freeman, Executive Chef, Cadence
  • Jacques Pépin, Award-Winning Chef & Author
  • Jacques Torres, Award-Winning Chef & Author
  • Gail Simmons, Special Projects Editor, Food & Wine and Co-Host of "Top Chef"
  • Marcus Samuelsson, Chef & Owner, Marcus Samuelsson Restaurants
  • Aarón Sanchez, Award-Winning Chef, Author & TV Personality

And ICE Los Angeles has hosted:

  • Timothy Hollingsworth, Chef & Owner, Otium
  • Stephanie Izard, Chef & Restaurateur and TV Personality 
  • Neal Fraser, Chef & Restaurateur, Redbird 
  • Tony Esnault, Chef & Owner, Knife Pleat 
  • Dominique Ansel, Chef & Owner, Dominique Ansel
  • Curtis Stone, Chef & Owner, Maude and Gwen
  • Jeong Kwan, Chef & Philosopher
  • Nancy Silverton, Chef & Co-Owner, Mozza Restaurant Group

Every year, we bring in some of the most talented members of the industry to enrich the student experience — and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Hero image by Ken Goodman.

Julia Child on campus.

Elite Drop-Ins

Throughout ICE's history, key industry leaders including the late Julia Child, Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson and Eric Ripert have stopped by campus and dropped into classrooms, offering words of encouragement and advice to current ICE students. Networking is key in this industry, and our team of Chef-Instructors, Deans and Career Services Advisors are here to help aid the process by encouraging students to attend events and ask questions.

VIPs Share Thoughts on Culinary School

Eric Ripert, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of famed New York City restaurant Le Bernardin, stopped by ICE’s New York campus to talk about his approach to recipe development, what he looks for when hiring team members and advice for students just starting their journey as culinary professionals.

Guest Speakers & Entrepreneurs

Throughout the year, ICE invites great culinary and hospitality entrepreneurs from across the nation to speak on campus. From chefs to food website founders, specialty food company presidents and executives at hotels, these resources are eager to share their knowledge. ICE's students are invited to these intimate lectures with these industry pros and have the chance to pose questions to them directly — an invaluable learning opportunity. These lectures take place on both of ICE's campuses and are streamed live online for students who are unable to attend in person or prefer to view from home.

Commencement

Every year we celebrate the future of the food, beverage and hospitality industries with commencement ceremonies on both campuses. These momentous events have seen a number of notable guest speakers. For the 2024 ceremonies, ICE welcomed Mashama Bailey and Gabrielle Chappel in New York, and Evan Funke and Megan Fogarty in Los Angeles. Past speakers have included Chefs Jacques Pépin, Stephanie Izard and Marcus Samuelsson. 

An Experience You'll Never Forget

VIPs including Marcus Samuelsson, Jacques Pépin and Jacques Torres visit students at ICE for all types of celebrations, sharing their thoughts on the positive benefits of a culinary school experience. From the education and fundamentals to networking and connections made, culinary school is indispensable.