Cindi Avila

ICE Alum Represents the NY Giants at Taste of the NFL

ohoadmin — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 22:13:58 +0000

ICE Alum Represents the NY Giants at Taste of the NFL ohoadmin Tue, 01/28/2014 - 17:13 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/ICE%20Alum%20Represents%20the%20NY%20Giants%20at%20Taste%20of%20the%20NFL_1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=YxEVd6_l January 28, 2014

By Cindi Avila

From growing up in the Caribbean to studying culinary arts at ICE, and now into the "big leagues", the path Kamal Rose has taken is nothing short of remarkable.

This week, he'll be representing the New York Giants at the Taste of the NFL on February 1^st—one of the city's biggest events leading up to the Super Bowl. As Kamal prepares for the event, we got the chance to talk with him about his love of food, family, and culinary school.

Courtesy of www.nydailynews.com

Kamal grew up in St. Vincent, where he cooked with his grandmother from a very young age. He tells us it was “sweetbreads on Saturdays, a big pot of callaloo soup with taro root dumplings, and on Sunday, dinner was oxtails with rice, peas and fried plantains.” Rose goes on to say: “My grandmother was always baking or making soup and it just clicked.” It clicked so well that Kamal moved to the United States as a teenager and started externing at Tribeca Grill (the popular restaurant that is part of Drew Nieporent's Myriad Restaurant Group) through a program at his high school.

The restaurant's management got along so well with the then teenage Rose that they hired him straight out of externship. From there he worked all the stations. He says it was a great opportunity, but he knew he still needed the stronger qualifications that come with classical training. Kamal came to ICE in 2008, attracted by the length and flexibility of the program (it still allowed him to keep up with his job at Tribeca Grill), and that it “definitely fine-tuned me, made me a better Chef and made me think about things I never thought about before.”

A couple years after graduation, Kamal was promoted to Executive Chef at Tribeca Grill. If you have been lucky enough to dine there before, you may have noticed his influence. He says he “puts his own Caribbean spin on the New American cuisine." The last menu had a pork chop brined with jerk spices and kale callaloo. But for the upcoming Taste of the NFL, Kamal turns to the classics, preparing an Italian wedding soup and New York-style Cheesecake for football fans and celebrities. Kamal is also cooking up a menu for his future. He says his ideal plan is to have a restaurant or bed and breakfast next to a beach, surrounded by a farm. He would want to bring in his own fish, have livestock on the property and fresh eggs. Whether or not that restaurant is in the US or back in his beloved Caribbean remains to be seen, but we know we'll be some of the first customers when the doors open!

Special Events Chefs

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'Tis the Season for Giving

ohoadmin — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 17:06:00 +0000

'Tis the Season for Giving ohoadmin Fri, 12/20/2013 - 12:06 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/%27Tis%20the%20Season%20for%20Giving_1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=pbw8khkA December 20, 2013

By Cindi Avila

Tis the season for giving and we at ICE are proud to say that the school and our students give back year round.

Things have been especially busy over the holiday season and we wouldn’t have it any other way. For Thanksgiving, we donated our kitchens to prepare meals for The Partnership for the Homeless and the By Any Meals’ Campaign (recently featured on NBC’s The Grio). Thanks to these wonderful organizations hundreds of hungry New Yorkers enjoyed a hot holiday meal.

ICE President & CEO Rick Smilow says, “There are many reasons why I think it’s important for ICE to 'give back' and be charitable. First, we have been fortunate over the last 18 years—through some combination of skill, luck, and fortitude—to build a sizable school. We have the resources and scale to do things to help organizations and communities that do not benefit from that combination.”

ICE student prepping dessert for The Partnership for the Homeless Thanksgiving dinner.

When you think about cooking schools you may not instantly think charity, but Smilow points out that the two actually go hand and hand, “It really goes with the territory. Culinary and hospitality endeavors have as part of their core, the goal of making people happy and content. Chefs, restaurateurs, caterers, etc. do that every day. As a culinary school, we have the same DNA.”

STREETS fundraiser at ICE

This effort goes beyond sharing our space and material resources; hundreds of our students donated their time in 2013 to charity work. ICE Culinary Relations Manager, Virginia Monaco explains, “While we often use luxury ingredients and our kitchens are generously stocked, most students and chefs are aware of the reality that many people struggle to simply feed themselves. They feel a responsibility to use their culinary training to give back and help those in need. By donating their time and skill, chefs and students can directly help those most vulnerable and take pride in their contributions to charitable organizations.”

Chef George Duran guiding ICE students during Partnership for the Homeless event

The school encourages students to participate, but we're proud to say it's easy to find volunteers for such charities as Wellness in the Schools, City Meals on Wheels & Action Against Hunger. Monaco says, “I’m glad to see how eager most students are to use their new found skills in the kitchen to give back to the community. There are so many organizations and charities to choose from; we direct our students towards those with a proven track record, a history of working with ICE, and who most directly support those in need in New York City.” Three organizations, in particular, receive ongoing support in the form of space, time, money or service from ICE. The groups include City Harvest (NYC hunger & poverty relief), Career Through Culinary Arts Program (culinary training and scholarships for disadvantaged NYC teens) and STREETS International (culinary & hospitality job training for orphans in Hoi An, Vietnam).

ICE student volunteers at this year's Action Against Hunger event

But outside of the school's ongoing efforts, ICE has often helped raise funds in the case of unexpected tragedies, as in the case of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Smilow says when the Typhoon hit he just knew that ICE had to do its part to help, “The Philippine Typhoon took place just before our annual holiday gift card marketing began, so I thought it would be a nice idea to generate some fast fundraising from gift card sales.

The organization earmarked for the funds, Action Against Hunger, is very fast, efficient and thoughtful in delivering truly life-saving aid (food, water, sanitation) when disasters strike in less developed nations.” ICE was proud to donate 25% of all sales from that promotion to AAH, totaling $7,750 of much-needed aid. We would like to thank all the ICE staff and students who helped make these relief efforts possible in 2013 and encourage others to take an interest in these reputable charities and their awe-inspiring work. Wishing a very safe, happy and healthy holiday to all!

Holidays 51�Թ�

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Marc Murphy's New Restaurant: Fit for a “King”side

ohoadmin — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 22:25:29 +0000

Marc Murphy's New Restaurant: Fit for a “King”side ohoadmin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 17:25 November 15, 2013

By Cindi Avila

One of ICE’s celebrated alumni, Marc Murphy, is lighting up the New York City dining scene with a new restaurant, Kingside in the Viceroy Hotel on West 57th Street.

Murphy says of the unique feel and location, "It’s a restaurant located in a hotel, but we’ve created a space that has a downtown vibe and a really great neighborhood feel.”

On the day we visited, Murphy himself was working the Chef’s Counter. It’s a large area in the center of the restaurant where guests can watch the chefs in action. That night, diners watched Murphy churn out unique combinations, like hay-aged pecorino, ricotta, and truffle honey toast.

Marc Murphy at work at the Chef's Counter

The chef says the cuisine is his take on New American: “I wanted to curate a menu that would take guests on a trip around the world and bring them back to America with simple dishes and big flavors.” One of the dishes he thinks will be of particular interest to culinary students and customers alike is his Roast Chicken for Two, explaining that his version of this French classic is based on simple flavors that are “absolutely delicious.” He encourages students to take classic dishes like this and put their own twist on them.

Roast Chicken for two with roasted vegetables and potatoes

Speaking of twists, Kingside is a twist of sorts for Murphy. It’s his first new restaurant in five years, and remarkably different from Landmarc and Ditch Plains. "As a Chef, you want to continue to be inspired, and the idea of creating something new was appealing to me”.

The name of Murphy's new restaurant venture is creative in its own right. Murphy says the name "Kingside" was inspired by the room's floor design: "It looks like a chessboard, and when we were thinking of names, Kingside was a term where both kings are on the same side. Since this is Scott Gerber (his partner) and my first project together, we thought it worked perfectly!”

Caramel pudding, Pistachio Tiramisu, Raspberry Napoleon

From appetizers all the way to dessert, you can tell Kingside is a project Murphy has approached with both skill and passion. We wish him huge success!

Alumni

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Restaurant Divided—Cutting Costs with Chef James Briscione

ohoadmin — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 20:25:22 +0000

Restaurant Divided—Cutting Costs with Chef James Briscione ohoadmin Fri, 11/15/2013 - 15:25 November 15, 2013

By Cindi Avila

This week, ICE made an appearance on Rocco DiSpirito’s new Food Network show Restaurant Divided.

The episode, which first aired on November 14^th, was titled “Against Da Grill”. It followed a struggling Staten Island restaurant of the same name and its philanthropic management team. Chef Rocco learned one reason the restaurant wasn’t profitable was that food costs were too high. So he sent co-owner Kurron Mangin to the 51�Թ� for help.

Director of Culinary Development, James Briscione, met with Kurron to share a few money saving tips and tricks. In particular, Kurron had been buying pre-cut chicken wings for the restaurant's fried chicken, so Chef James taught him how breaking down a whole chicken was much more cost efficient. A native Southerner, Chef James also helped Kurron up his fried chicken game, crafting a new version of the dish that Kurron is now serving on his menu.

If you missed the episode, we won't ruin the outcome for you—but we will say that we're rooting for Kurron to succeed in the future!

Business of Food James Briscione

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Alumni Success: Women of ICE

ohoadmin — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 15:16:23 +0000

Alumni Success: Women of ICE ohoadmin Thu, 08/29/2013 - 11:16 August 29, 2013

By Cindi Avila

Beyoncé says, “Who runs the world? Girls.” and, as it turns out, they now run many kitchens too. We’ve noticed this first hand at the 51�Թ�, where females make up at least 50% of our student body.

Female ICE grads have gone on to amazing success, including James Beard Award-winning chefs Allison Vines-Rushing, Claudia Fleming, and Gina DePalma.The most recent examples of female alumni accolades include Mesa Grill Executive Pastry Chef Clarisa Martino, 2013 winner of Dessert Professional’s Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America and Chef Rachael Yang, whose Seattle restaurant Joule was recently featured as one of Bon Appetit’s 10 Best New Restaurants.

Alumnae Chef Rachel Yang, of Joule and Revel restaurants in Seattle

And this success isn’t limited to the restaurant industry. Other female alumni are leaders in national and international culinary enterprises as well, with ICE grad Tina Borbeau as Fresh Direct’s Director of Research & Development, or grad Jill Talcott, Corporate Product Development Manager for Starbucks. Beyond the facts, chefs and restaurateurs alike have noticed major changes for women in the culinary world.

Mentions ICE alum Elisa Strauss—Owner of Confetti Cakes, and recognizable from her many TV appearances including the Today Show, Sex and the City, Food Network Challenge and 30-Minute Meals With Rachael Ray— “In the last decade you have really seen a better representation of women in the culinary field from sommeliers to restaurateurs. The professional kitchen used to be just for male chefs, but I’m happy to see more women chefs [in general], not just a few famous ones whose names keep being regurgitated.”

Alumnae Chef Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes

ICE’s Director of Management Studies and accomplished restaurateur, Stephen Zagor says “It wasn’t long ago that restaurants were the domain of the male. Kitchens resembled men’s gyms – steamy, sweaty and brassy.” However, change has come steadily The increased presence of women in pro kitchens and restaurants has generally fostered more civil and calm working environments, and according to Zagor, “that’s a good thing.” Cites Zagor, “In the last 10 years the ‘lipstick ceiling’ has been cracked with more and more women owners, chefs and managers.”

ICE Chef-Instructor Michelle Tampakis agrees, citing from the earliest days of her own career that women working in restaurants were mostly waitstaff. ”It was hard to get a position in the back of the house. Kitchens were mostly male-dominated.” Tampakis’ own story supports the trend of progress. After breaking new ground as Executive Pastry Chef at Windows on the World in the 1980s, she went on to become a successful competitor on the international pastry circuit and ICE Chef-Instructor. This year, she launched Whipped Pastry Boutique, specializing in gluten-free pastry and baked goods.

Alumnae Chef Ivy Stark of Dos Caminos

Alum and southwest cooking expert Ivy Stark has also experienced this change first hand. As Corporate Executive Chef at Dos Caminos, Stark is about as high up on the industry food chain as one can get. The ’95 grad says, “I am very fortunate, aside from very isolated instances. My employers, colleague, and staff have never treated me differently. I see young hard-working women cooks and chefs in kitchens everywhere being treated as equals by their male colleagues.”

2009 ICE graduate Brooke Siem says one thing that has helped women rise in the industry is the variety of jobs now available. “The wave of artisan products and the push for small businesses has really changed the game for female chef. Food is no longer just about dining out at a high-end restaurant. There are more opportunities to create something new and make a name for yourself.” Siem should know. She owns Prohibition Bakery, an innovative cupcake shop on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, crafting sweet treats with a splash of liquor.

Alumnae Chef Brooke Siem of NYC's Prohibition Bakery

Another instrumental tool that Siem says has helped women isn’t found in the kitchen. “Throw social media into the mix, and suddenly it seems common to see women working and owning their own businesses in the food industry. That inspires more young women to pursue a similar path, and so on.”

When it comes to media influence, for alum Gail Simmons—judge on Top Chef and Director of Special Projects for Food & Wine—the sky is the limit. In a day when reality stars are more likely to be bad influences than role models, Simmons proves that it’s possible to build an intelligent public image and dynamic career.

Alumnae Gail Simmons, judge on Top Chef and Director of Special Projects at Food & Wine Magazine

As for the next generation, Stark says, “I absolutely do feel that it is important to mentor other women. It has been an extremely rewarding career for me, and I love passing along my experience to [those] just starting out. The kitchen is still largely male-dominated and can be intimidating [at first].” Stark reinforces her words with action, stating, “I am very proud to say that all of our current Executive Sous Chefs at Dos Caminos are female and started with us as line cooks, some of them straight out of school.” At ICE that’s something, we love to hear!

Chefs Culinary Arts Pastry Arts Alumni

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New York Jets Cooking School – Tailgating Division

ohoadmin — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 16:04:53 +0000

New York Jets Cooking School – Tailgating Division ohoadmin Mon, 08/19/2013 - 12:04 August 19, 2013

By Cindi Avila

The pre-season: that time of year when football fans anxiously await the plays that will define their season and daydream about grill-fired pre-game feasts. With that in mind, the 51�Թ� (ICE) and the New York Jets are proud to announce a new partnership: the official New York Jets Cooking School – Tailgating Division.

“Jets fans consider tailgating an important part of their gameday experience and we want them to train with the best in food and football,” says Jets team President Neil Glat. This exclusive series of hands-on cooking classes are designed to take fans' culinary skills and tailgating technique to the next level. Participants will also have the unique chance to tour the stadium, gain field access and meet their favorite Jets players.

Jets and ICE fans will kick things off with five events in 2013:

September 21^st at MetLife Stadium – “Jets Grilling Boot Camp“
October 7^th at ICE – “Pro Team Proteins: NY Steakhouse Classics with a Jets Twist”
October 14^th at ICE – “Flavor Touchdown! Cooking with Bourbon and Beer”
November 2^nd at MetLife Stadium – “Jets Fans Tailgate Favorites”
December 2^nd at ICE – “The Ultimate Training Table: Cooking Jets’ Player Favorites”

“We are excited to launch the first pro football team-branded cooking school,” says ICE President Rick Smilow, “and we look forward to teaching Jets fans some new offensive strategy in the kitchen and on the grill.”

Instruction will be led by ICE's resident football enthusiasts, Chefs James Briscione and Chad Pagano.

Culinary Education Special Events

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Partnering with Delta for a "Cabin Pressure Cook-Off"

ohoadmin — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 19:55:44 +0000

Partnering with Delta for a "Cabin Pressure Cook-Off" ohoadmin Fri, 08/02/2013 - 15:55 August 2, 2013

By Cindi Avila

The 51�Թ� is about to hit the friendly skies. This week, we were thrilled to host "The Cabin Pressure Cook Off", a new culinary competition that has Delta Air Lines partnering with Food & Wine magazine.

Four former Food & Wine "Best New Chefs" went head to head in our kitchens, vying for the chance to consult with Delta on menus for flights departing Atlanta.

The four chefs face-off in ICE's teaching kitchens.

Hugh Acheson of Empire State South in Atlanta and Five & Ten and The National in Athens, Ga.
Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House in Atlanta.
Kelly English of Restaurant Iris and The Second Line in Memphis, Tenn., and Kelly English Steakhouse in St. Louis.
George Mendes of ALDEA in New York.

The competition will be aired as a four-part series on Delta Air Lines (among other broadcast outlets). So you just may see it on your next flight!

The competition, which will air later this year, was judged by Michelle Bernstein, Andrea Immer Robinson, David Swinghamer and Christina Grdovic.

For more information about the competition, check out the following articles:

"A Cook-Off Among Chefs to Join Delta's Kitchens", New York Times
"Airline Holds Cooking Competition to Find New Chef", ABC News
"Delta, Food & Wine team on culinary competition", Atlanta Business Chronicle

Food Media

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ICE on National TV

ohoadmin — Thu, 30 May 2013 19:57:36 +0000

ICE on National TV ohoadmin Thu, 05/30/2013 - 15:57 May 30, 2013

By Cindi Avila

Where do celebrities come when they need help from culinary visionaries? The 51�Թ� of course!

This month, you may have noticed ICE on part one of the season finale of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice. The season’s winner, Trace Atkins, was among those who came to our professional kitchens to whip up a winning ice cream recipe. Helping the finalists develop their winning recipes were Gary Busey, Joan Rivers, Marilu Henner, Latoya Jackson, Dennis Rodman and many more. We were thrilled to host the cast and help them mix together something sweet.

As if that wasn’t enough star power for one month, we were also featured prominently on the season finale of E!’s Married to Jonas. Kevin Jonas’s wife, Danielle, needed to test some family recipes for a feature in Cosmo, but wanted some expert opinions and help. That’s where ICE stepped in. Our own Director of Culinary Development, James Briscione, served as the family’s host at ICE. Brothers Kevin and Nick Jonas were among several members of the family who got their hands dirty testing recipes in ICE’s kitchens.

Chef James used his vast culinary knowledge—including his experience writing a cookbook—to help guide the family through the recipe testing process. “I talked with Kevin and Danielle a lot about the importance of presentation. When you present a recipe in magazine or book, it has to be something that people look at and immediately say 'Oh, I have to try that!' I helped them dress up their plates and gave them some guidelines on color, texture and of course, taste!” Kevin, in particular, took James' valuable tips to heart. In the episode, he pauses to remind the family, “Guys, remember presentation is important!”

Several other ICE staff members were recruited as taste testers. We got to sample about a dozen dishes, and were very impressed with the quality of the dishes, not to mention the Jonas' family's hospitality. The segment first aired Sunday, May 26^th and has since been re-broadcast several times. We're excited to see the Jonas' and our chefs' hard work pay off on the small screen and can’t wait to see the recipes in print.

51�Թ� Special Events

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NFL Players Score Big at ICE’s Culinary & Hospitality Management Seminar

ohoadmin — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:28:40 +0000

NFL Players Score Big at ICE’s Culinary & Hospitality Management Seminar ohoadmin Mon, 05/13/2013 - 17:28 May 13, 2013

By Cindi Avila

The average career of a football player is only said to be a little more than three years. So what is a player to do after his days on the gridiron are over? Many want to open a restaurant and some even want to open their own hotel. With all that in mind the 51�Թ� (ICE) hosted 21 current and former professional football players for a NFL Hospitality and Culinary Management Workshop.

On May 6^th the players (and some of their wives) gathered to learn from the best in the business. Steve Zagor, the dean of ICE’s Business Management programs led the all-day program. Zagor says "it was a great opportunity to give NFL players a preview into life after their pro football careers, as a restaurant owner or investor/operator in the hospitality world.”

21 current and past NFL players attended the Culinary and Hospitality Management Workshop.

Current players including Jason Avant (Eagles), Terrence McGee (free agent) and David Caldwell (Giants) and Jahri Evans (Saints) took part. Five of the participants were past Pro Bowl level players. Chef-Instructor Chad Pagano led one of the demonstrations for the players and said they were like “kids in a candy store. I was truly amazed by their level of participation. The quality of their questions was extraordinary.”

Will Smith and Jason Avant listen intently to Stephen Zagor's introductory presentation.

ICE culinary instructors, including Vin McCann, Kate Edwards, Anthony Caporale, Ted Siegel and others, all experts in their respective fields, gave the players a taste of what diploma students at ICE learn. Overall, the focus was more on the business and management side of restaurants including location, leasing, concept development, marketing, customer service, catering, controlling food costs, and how to be profitable.

Part of ICE’s management program offers a steady stream of guest speakers and experts. NFL day was no exception. President and CEO of Rosa Mexicano, Howard Greenstone, was one of the keynote speakers. Greenstone entertained and educated the players with anecdotes from his long career path which has lead to the present, where he runs a 16-unit national restaurant group with over $75 million in revenue.

Howard Greenstone shared his industry expertise at the workshop.

In the morning, the group briefly heard from Rick Smilow, ICE’s President / CEO since 1995. As an entrepreneur with broad insight into restaurants and other businesses, Smilow made the point “ that while certainly opening and running a successful restaurant was a challenge, it is still the type of enterprise where one can walk-the-floor and control.

That contrasts with so many other types of businesses, where your business success or failure is so dependent on factors you cannot control.” Some of these players were also interested to hear what it takes to run a hotel or lodging establishment. This is the focus of ICE’s newest diploma program, Hospitality Management. The guest speaker for this segment of the day was John Moser, Chief Marketing Officer for the 15-unit Denihan Hospitality Group.

Chef Instructor James Briscione shares his seasonal recipe for succotash with Babatunde Oshinowo and Adalius Thomas.

ICE Chef-Instructor James Briscione says he was impressed with the passion and excitement from the players over the course of the day. He commented that “their passion and questions would make one think they were full-time students here.” Briscione also thinks the players have what it takes to succeed in this growing industry, “they are used to long, hard hours. They aren’t afraid to work hard, and on top of that, they know about team-work.”

For the NFL, this day at ICE was part of a bigger initiative to offer current and past players insight into career options after football. Past workshops have been in other fields including real estate, acting and broadcast/media.

After the program, players filled out evaluations on their day at ICE. One participant wrote: “The program literally has turned my perspective and approach as to how I will invest and run my business. The course gets an A+ !”

Culinary Arts Restaurant Management Hospitality Management