Videos

Chef Jürgen’s Favorite Brownies

abaker — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:32:50 +0000

Chef Jürgen’s Favorite Brownies abaker Thu, 04/25/2024 - 16:32 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/epi-brownies-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=hO2o5gBS Fruit, nuts and a topping, this brownie hits every note. April 30, 2024

By Cory Sale

Cory Sale is the Senior Public Relations Manager at ICE and an alumna (Culinary Arts '22). She enjoys writing about seasonal produce almost as much as visiting NYC’s greenmarkets, where she finds new flavors to add to ice cream. When she’s not cooking (or eating), you can find her on the frisbee field chasing down a piece of plastic.

In a recent video with Epicurious, ICE's Director of Pastry Research & Development Jürgen David blind taste-tested prominent boxed and premade brownies commonly found in grocery stores. He sampled over 10 different brands, evaluated the depth of flavor and texture and deduced how the ingredients for each brownie influenced the final product.

Spoiler alert, none of the brownies he tasted were a 10 out of 10 in his book. So, what does Chef Jürgen look for in this sweet treat? A fudgy brownie with a shiny crust, more chocolate than cocoa powder, and mix-ins for added texture.

Luckily for you, he shares his favorite brownie recipe below. It’s very chocolatey, with melted chocolate and cocoa powder mixed into the batter, added chocolate chips and a rich, chocolate ganache topping. The small percentage of flour translates to a fudgy texture, and whipping the eggs helps to dissolve the sugar to help form a crust on top. Dried cherries are plumped in orange juice that contributes a sweet, sunny tartness, and chopped walnuts bring even more texture.

Don’t like cherries? Omit them! Not a fan of walnuts? Swap for a nut of your choice. The chocolate ganache takes the brownies to a whole new level of decadence, but they can stand without it should you opt-out.

One more tip from Chef Jürgen: Coat the walnuts and chocolate chips with a little bit of the flour mixture so they don’t sink to the bottom.

Chef Jürgen’s Favorite Brownies

Yields: 20 2.5x3” brownies

For the Brownies:

120 mililiters orange juice
90 grams dried cherries
6 eggs
480 grams granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
380 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped in small pieces
240 grams butter
150 grams all-purpose flour
30 grams cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
90 grams walnuts, coarsely chopped
45 grams chocolate chips (can swap in dark, milk or white chocolate, chopped)

For the Ganache:

200 mililiters heavy cream
200 grams chocolate

For the Brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make an “X” with nonstick cooking spray on a half-sheet pan and line it with parchment paper; this prevents the parchment paper from sliding in the pan.
In a saucepan, bring the orange juice and the dried cherries to a boil. Set aside to cool.
Heat the chocolate and butter in a bain-marie until just melted.
Whisk the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a mixer until light in color and mixture is very fluffy.
Pour the chocolate and butter into the egg mixture, adding it all at once with the mixer turned off to prevent it from setting up in little pieces.
Sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder and salt into the egg and chocolate mixture and mix until just combined.
Add the walnuts, chocolate chips, cherries and the soaking liquid, and mix just enough to combine.
Using an offset spatula, spread the batter on the prepared half-sheet pan. Bake the brownies at 350°F for 10–15 minutes, or until a knife or skewer comes out clean.

For the Ganache:

Prepare the ganache by warming the heavy cream and pouring it over the chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes, then stir to combine.
Spread the cooling ganache over the brownies.
Cut the brownies into rectangles and serve.

*This recipe is from the French Culinary Institute.

More recipes from Chef Jürgen:

Epicurious

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Chef Jürgen's Elegant Tiramisu Recipe

ajohnson — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 17:50:16 +0000

Chef Jürgen's Elegant Tiramisu Recipe ajohnson Fri, 02/02/2024 - 12:50 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/tiramisu-HERO.png.webp?itok=ga9yh55Q These individually-sized tiramisu servings are the perfect fancy dessert for your next dinner party. February 13, 2024

By Anna Johnson

Being a classic Italian dessert, this “pick me up” (that is the literal translation from Italian) is a crowd pleaser and everyone will have a strong idea about how they like their tiramisu.

The basics are the same — mascarpone cheese, eggs, espresso-soaked ladyfingers (made from scratch or using the traditional Savoiardi biscuits) and a dusting of cocoa powder are the staple ingredients for this delectable treat. It's such a popular dish, that International Tiramisu Day is celebrated on March 21, and it's spawned dessert competitions just for tiramisu alone.

Chef Jürgen's version utilizes a sabayon method for cooking the eggs (hello, food safety!) and a more sophisticated touch by using Marsala in the recipe. Instead of a rustic, homestyle approach, this version is made as individual servings — you are special and deserve your own small serving, no sharing necessary.

Tiramisu Recipe by Chef Jürgen

Yields 6 3-inch servings

For the Ladyfingers:

4 eggs, separated
100 grams granulated sugar
100 grams cake flour
Powdered sugar, for dusting

For the Soaking Syrup:

150 ml espresso
10 ml rum
10 ml Amaretto
25 ml orange juice
3 ml vanilla extract'

For the Tiramisu:

175 milliliters heavy cream
2 egg yolks
75 grams granulated sugar
25 milliliters water
50 milliliters Marsala wine
1.5 sheets gelatin, bloomed in cold water
250 grams mascarpone
Ladyfinger biscuits (from recipe)
Soaking syrup (from recipe)
Cocoa powder, for dusting

For the Chocolate Sauce:

150 gram bittersweet chocolate
125 milliliters milk
75 milliliters heavy cream
15 grams butter
75 grams granulated sugar
1 pinch of salt
5 milliliters coffee extract

For the Chocolate Decoration:

2 ounces (57 grams) bittersweet chocolate, melted
Ice cubes, as needed

For Plating:

Cocoa powder, for dusting
Chocolate sauce (from recipe)
4 ounces heavy cream, whipped
Chocolate decoration (from recipe)

Special equipment:

#3 plain piping tip
1 3-inch round cookie cutter
4 3-inch round entremet rings, 1-inch high
Stem thermometer

For the Ladyfingers:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Make a French meringue by whipping the egg whites and the sugar together in a stand mixer, adding a little bit of sugar at a time, until the mixture holds stiff peaks.
Whisk the egg yolks lightly and fold into the meringue.
Sift the flour over the meringue mixture, a third at a time, and fold in.
Using a pastry bag fitted with a round #3 tip, pipe batter in rows on a parchment-lined 1/2 sheet pan.
Sprinkle the batter with powdered sugar.
Bake at until light brown, about 5-7 minutes.
Let cool completely before assembling tiramisu.
When ready to assemble, release each cake from the parchment paper and cut the cake into 3-inch disks.

For the Soaking Syrup:

Combine espresso with the rum, amaretto, orange juice and vanilla extract.
Set aside until ready for assembly.

For the Tiramisu:

In a medium mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream and then set it in the refrigerator to chill.
Set up individual rings on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
Lightly brush the ladyfingers with the espresso syrup.
Over a double boiler, make a sabayon with the egg yolks, sugar, water and Marsala wine. The mixture should read 145°F before removing from heat.
Add the bloomed gelatin to the sabayon. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the mixture until cool and thickened, about 7-10 minutes.
Place the mascarpone in a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir the sabayon into the mascarpone until the mixture is smooth.
Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
Line rings with the first layer of biscuit sponge.
Fill the piping bag fitted with the plain pastry tip with the mascarpone mixture.
Pipe the mascarpone mousse onto the biscuit and repeat until you have 3 layers of ladyfingers and 3 layers of mousse. Level out the rings with tiramisu, so the tops are flat.
Chill the tiramisu in the refrigerator until firm, 1-2 hours.
Before serving, dust with cocoa powder and remove rings for plating.

For the Chocolate Sauce:

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium work bowl.
In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil.
Pour the hot milk over the chocolate. With a whisk, stir until the chocolate is melted.
In a separate saucepan, bring the cream, butter and sugar to a boil.
Pour the ganache into the separate saucepan and stir constantly until it comes to a boil.
Add salt and coffee extract. Stir to combine.
Store the sauce in a bain-marie until ready to use.

For the Chocolate Decoration:

Place chocolate in a microwave oven-safe bowl.
In 20-second increments, melt chocolate to 85°F, stirring at every interval.
Place ice cubes in a medium-sized bowl and cover with cold water.
Using a paper cornet, pipe small designs of your choice onto the ice water surface.
Using a small offset spatula, lift hardened designs from the water.
Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

For Plating:

Remove rings from tiramisu and dust the top of each with cocoa powder.
Create a chocolate sauce design on the plate and position tiramisu as desired.
Pipe whipped cream (or make quenelles) onto tiramisu.
Finish with chocolate décor on top.

Desserts Video Epicurious Pastry Arts Baking Arts

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ICE Launches New Video Series

abaker — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 15:22:53 +0000

ICE Launches New Video Series abaker Wed, 01/10/2024 - 10:22 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/now-serving-missy-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=kzCEIsP3 Now Serving Celebrates The Art of Plating January 10, 2024

By Abbe Lewis

Abbe Lewis is a writer, editor, Emmy nominee and extreme nacho enthusiast with over a decade of experience in food and beverage media. Always on the move, Abbe can be found running long distances on the weekends to new restaurants or her favorite hangouts.

In our newest video series, the Institute of Culinary Education has partnered with leading manufacturer and supplier of award-winning tabletop solutions for the food and beverage industry, Steelite International, to celebrate the many styles of plating.

In a recent article by the New York Times, writer Julia Moskin explores the art of plating's past and seven trending styles that are dominating the current food scene. "The post-plate era of fine dining is in full swing," she states in the article. "Chefs at influential restaurants around the world are sending out food on surfaces like a pink silicone tongue, a bird’s nest, a gilded picture frame and an egg-shaped porcelain pedestal."

In ICE's Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts and Plant-Based Culinary Arts programs, students are taught the myriad ways of plating — and every Chef-Instructor has their own approach.

"With this dish, I really wanted my customer to be excited to eat it," says Missy Smith-Chapman, Lead Instructor for Plant-Based Culinary Arts and Pastry & Baking Arts for ICE LA, of her composed dish of a vegan olive oil cake, vegan lemon curd, whipped coconut cream and seasonal berries.

"I approach food or plating by ingredients," she says "I chose the olive oil cake because I can choose many flavors that will complement it."

Her plating ethos overall is that of a "controlled chaos."

"I don't like when things are so neat and safe."

Learn the Art of Plated Desserts at ICE

Video

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BBQ-Spiced Fried Chicken Tenders with Hot Honey

abaker — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:15:13 +0000

BBQ-Spiced Fried Chicken Tenders with Hot Honey abaker Mon, 12/04/2023 - 13:15 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/chicken-tendies-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=8G6E8ToZ Take your tendies to the next level with Chef Joshua’s ultimate recipe December 4, 2023

By ICE Staff

No matter which way you dip it, chicken tenders are one of the ultimate bar comfort foods. On this episode of Epicurious’s Four Levels, Lead Chef & Operations Manager Joshua Resnick elevates his tenders by seasoning them with a homemade BBQ spice mix and marinating them in a mixture of buttermilk and Coca-Cola.

The end result: Gorgeous golden-brown fried chicken tenders ready to be dunked in a hot honey sauce.

Here's how to make it at home.

BBQ-Spiced Fried Chicken Tenders with Hot Honey

Yields: 4-6 servings

For the BBQ Spice Mix

60 grams smoked paprika
55 grams dark brown sugar
40 grams kosher salt
30 grams ground cumin
15 grams ground black peppercorn
6 grams cayenne
4 grams dried oregano

For the Hot Honey

190 grams honey
8 grams Crystal or Louisiana-style hot sauce
8 grams apple cider vinegar
3 grams crushed red pepper flake
1 gram cayenne pepper

For the Fried Chicken Marinade

2 chicken breasts with tenders
25 grams BBQ spice mix
15 grams salt
240 grams (1 cup) buttermilk
120 grams (1/2 cup) Coca-Cola
30 grams (2 tablespoons) hot sauce

For Dredging and Cooking

360 grams (3 cups) flour
50 grams BBQ spice
1 gallon frying oil
Extra BBQ spice mix

For the BBQ Spice Mix

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Reserve in an airtight container.

For the Hot Honey

Combine all ingredients in a pot and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil while whisking.
Once mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool until it reaches room temperature.
Reserve at room temperature in an airtight container.

For the Fried Chicken Marinade

Remove the tenders from the chicken and place them into a bowl. Cut the remaining chicken breast into similar-sized strips.
Season the chicken with the BBQ spice and salt and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the buttermilk and Coca-Cola into the bowl and mix. Wrap and marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours.

For Dredging and Cooking

Take the chicken out of the fridge 1 hour before planning to cook.
Place the frying oil in a large pot and bring to 350°F.
While the oil preheats, mix the dredge ingredients in a bowl.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, place the chicken in the dredge, toss to coat, then place back into the marinade and dredge again.
When the oil gets to temperature, fry until the chicken is golden brown and the internal temperature reads 155°F.
Place the cooked chicken into a paper towel-lined bowl to soak up excess oil. Season with salt and then toss with some extra BBQ spice for flavor.
Plate the tenders as desired and serve with the hot honey on the side.

Epicurious Video

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Putting the Devil in Deviled Egg

abaker — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 19:12:17 +0000

Putting the Devil in Deviled Egg abaker Tue, 10/24/2023 - 15:12 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/deviled-eggs-hERO.jpg.webp?itok=E_iljZ9l November 8, 2023

By ICE Staff

Deviled eggs may be the quintessential hors d’oeuvres — they require minimal ingredients, next to no effort and are by and large a crowd-pleaser.

And because eggs can act as a blank slate, there are a myriad of ways to take the humble deviled egg to the next level. Just ask ICE New York’s Lead Chef & Operations Manager Joshua Resnick.

“At one of my first jobs post-culinary school, the chef did a play on a deviled egg using fried pig head terrine that was topped with a slice of hard-boiled egg white and a deviled egg farce,” he says. “That was a game-changer and something I think back on all the time.”

Chef Joshua loves wordplay (and is a master of puns), so for his epic take, he started with spice.

“To me, having something called a deviled egg and not having it be spicy would be a disservice,” he says. “It's really easy to get carried away with spice as a note, so I wanted to get levels of heat without it being overpowering. That's why it's not just a deviled egg smothered in hot sauce. The cayenne egg yolk, serrano pepper chips and spices in the farce all work together and balance out to produce a bite that has a kick but allows you to come back for more.”

Curing egg yolks is a great way to elevate dishes at home, and Chef Joshua assures it’s an easy process.

“The trick is to not rush the process,” he says. “If the yolks aren't given the proper length of time to cure, they're going to be jammy in the middle instead, meaning they won't grate properly. Let them rest and you'll reap the rewards later.”

Heard, Chef. Watch the full video below to give yourself that extra boost of confidence when making them at home.

Harissa-Spiced Deviled Egg, Cayenne-Cured Egg Yolks, Serrano Peppers

Yield: 6-8 servings

For the Spicy Cured Egg Yolks:

500 grams kosher salt
300 grams sugar
50 grams cayenne pepper
6 egg yolks

For the Steamed Eggs:

6 eggs

For the Aioli:

2 egg yolks
2 cloves garlic, finely grated or microplaned
10 grams lemon juice
5 grams Dijon mustard
160 grams Canola oil
Salt, to taste

For the Harissa Egg Farce:
Yolks of 6 hard-boiled eggs

1 gram cayenne pepper
2 grams smoked paprika
3 grams salt
5 grams harissa paste
4 grams spicy brown mustard
60 grams aioli

For the Crispy Serrano Pepper Chips:

2 serrano peppers, thinly sliced
All-purpose flour, as needed
2 cups canola oil
Salt, as needed

For Assembling the Egg:

Hard-boiled egg whites
Deviled egg farce
Spicy cured egg yolks
Crispy serrano pepper chips
Chives, cut into 2" batons

For the Spicy Cured Egg Yolks:

Combine the salt, sugar and cayenne until evenly combined. Place roughly 1/2 of the mixture into a 9"x13" baking dish (or half hotel plan) and spread evenly.
Make 6 wells for the egg yolks and carefully place one yolk in each well. Leave some space between the yolks.
Sprinkle the rest of the cure evenly over the yolks. Wrap and leave in the fridge for 5-7 days.
After the necessary amount of time has elapsed, carefully remove the egg yolks from the cure. Lightly brush off the cure before gently rinsing the yolks under cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Preheat a conventional oven to 150°F. Place a roasting rack on a half-sheet tray and spray with non-stick spray. Place the egg yolks on the rack and bake in the oven for 30-60 minutes. The yolks should feel firm but have some give to them. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

For the Steamed Eggs:

Set up a steamer basket with 1 inch of water. Bring to a rolling boil.
Place the eggs in the steamer basket, cover and steam for 12 minutes.
Shock immediately in ice water.
Peel the eggs and then cut them in half. Remove the egg yolk from the white and reserve for the harissa egg farce.

For the Aioli:

In a bowl, whisk together the yolks, garlic, lemon juice and Dijon mustard, then stream in the oil while continuing to whisk until all oil is emulsified. Season with salt to taste.

For the Harissa Egg Farce:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. If mixture starts to get too warm, add in a small ice cube or a few drops of cold water.
Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

For the Crispy Serrano Pepper Chips:

Place the peppers in a bowl along with enough flour to cover the peppers. Toss to thoroughly coat the peppers.
Heat the canola oil in a pot until it reaches 325°F.
Transfer the dusted pepper slices into a fine mesh strainer and shake off any excess flour into the original bowl before transferring them into the frying oil. Fry until crispy and lightly golden brown.
Put the cooked slices into a paper towel-lined bowl to remove the excess oil and season with salt. Allow to cool.

For Assembling the Egg:

Fill the hard-boiled egg whites with the harissa filling so that it rises above the cut line. If necessary, trim off a thin sliver of the white from the bottom to ensure that the egg doesn’t roll over.
Using a microplane zester, zest the spicy cured egg yolks over the eggs. Garnish with a couple of crispy serrano pepper chips and chive batons.

Epicurious Video Eggs Appetizers

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Alumni Spotlight: Rex Quizon

abaker — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 17:17:27 +0000

Alumni Spotlight: Rex Quizon abaker Fri, 10/13/2023 - 13:17 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/rex-quizon-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=DyuJ7SFW The Culinary Arts alum is the Chef/Owner of SiSiG in Los Angeles October 17, 2023

By ICE Staff

“I love everything about food…you can do so much on a single ingredient.” This is the culinary ethos of Rex Quizon, Chef and Owner of SiSiG in Los Angeles’s Historic Filipinotown neighborhood.

A native of Cabalantian, a town in the Pampanga region of the Philippines, Chef Rex moved stateside in 1990. He grew up doing a lot of cooking in his household — and still does, noting he has visitors visit his home almost every weekend.

Three decades later, he decided to trade in his general contractor hat for a toque and enroll in the Culinary Arts program at ICE Los Angeles.

“At first I thought it was too late for me because of my age,” he says. “It’s actually not like going to school, it’s more like cooking with friends.”

Chef Rex's restaurant, SiSiG, is a Filipino barbecue named after the traditional dish from the Pampanga region made from pork jowl and ears, pork belly and chicken liver.

“Mainly we are serving comfort foods,” Chef Rex says. “Not just for Filipinos, but for everybody.”

What started as a small concept with a limited menu of just six or seven items has grown to a beloved neighborhood spot with 22 menu items. Chef Rex retooled and expanded the menu after graduating from ICE. Menu items include barbecue chicken, loco moco, halo halo and, of course, sisig.

We stopped by to catch up with Chef. Watch his full interview and get a glimpse at SiSiG below.

More Alumni Stories: Meet Adriano Piazza

Alumni Restaurants Los Angeles

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Behind the Scenes with Luisa Caicedo

abaker — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 14:46:16 +0000

Behind the Scenes with Luisa Caicedo abaker Wed, 10/04/2023 - 10:46 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/luisa_caicedo_Portraits_Buenafotos_AND_HERO.jpg.webp?itok=qlN6xeQu October 4, 2023

By ICE Staff

Colombian native Luisa Caicedo knew she wanted to be in the food business at a young age, cooking alongside her grandparents and mother on her family's farm.

An ICE graduate of the Culinary Arts career program, Chef Luisa has traveled the world, working at restaurants including Vong Kitchen in Jakarta, Indonesia and Mondoux in Dubai. Now the Executive Chef of Cédric Vongerichten's Wayan restaurant in New York City's Soho neighborhood, she serves up creative Indonesian dishes using French techniques.

At Wayan, you’ll find satays like scallops with chiltepin butter and pork with pickled radish, while small plates include octopus a la plancha with roasted fennel and escargot rendang with toasted brioche. You'll find roasted cauliflower with coconut curry, crispy pork ribs with soy-tamarind glaze and lobster noodles with black pepper butter and Thai basil under large plates. Wayan's signature dishes include Dungeness crab with sauce pandang and a 32-ounce dry-aged rib eye with roasted shishitos, bell pepper purée and sambal hijau.

This summer, Chef Luisa helped open up Wayan’s sister concept, Ma•dé. The term for “second born” in Balinese, Ma•dé’s menu draws inspiration from Bali, and is focused on fresh seafood and vegetables. Currently on the menu, you’ll find lobster dumplings with caviar sauce, mussels with sauce poulette, furikake and salsa matcha; and New Zealand trout with ginger flower and mentaiko-garlic toast.

We stopped by Wayan for a pre-shift catch-up with Chef Luisa. See what inspires her and where she’s headed in the video below.

More from Chef Luisa: ICE's International Women’s Month Panel

Alumni Chefs Video

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Alumni Spotlight: Adriano Piazza

abaker — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 14:34:41 +0000

Alumni Spotlight: Adriano Piazza abaker Mon, 10/02/2023 - 10:34 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/adriano-piazza-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=M5ly1-rv The Culinary Arts alum is the Chef-Owner of Pronto Cucina Italiana in San Clemente, California October 2, 2023

By Abbe Lewis

Adriano Piazza, the Executive Chef and Owner of Pronto Cucina Italiana in San Clemente, California, cooks with a calling.

“My culinary voice is education. I want people to understand food and understand what they eat, because, we are what we eat,” Chef Adriano says.

An 51�Թ� Los Angeles Culinary Arts graduate, the Sicilian native grew up cooking with his grandmother and his mother, which laid the groundwork for a career in food. After graduating from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Piemonte, Italy, the Piazzas moved to Southern California in 2016, where Chef Adriano began his career as a food and beverage buyer.

Related Read: ICE Alum Opens Italian Eatery In SoCal

“I decided to enroll in culinary school because I really wanted to get more hands-on and complete my education,” he says. “Culinary school changed my relationship with food by making it even more personal. Bringing the love that I have and making [a career in cooking] possible...I was learning about food, but I was also learning about the beauty of the camaraderie of the kitchen. It really changed me."

Chef Adriano when he was a student at ICE

After finishing school as one of the first graduating classes from ICE's LA campus, Chef Adriano's ambition continued to drive him. When the perfect spot for a restaurant opened up in his beloved town of San Clemente, he knew it was meant to be.

Chef Adriano opened Pronto Cucina Italiana in 2021, with a mission to change diners' perspectives about authentic Italian cuisine. What began as a simple delicatessen has now expanded to a full sit-down restaurant. Menu items at Pronto include fettuccine Bolognese, bucatini carbonara, strozzapreti in verde and a variety of pizzas (think quattro formaggi and prosciutto e rucola).

Next door is the newest addition to Pronto, the Italian market, which stocks a wide range of goods, from imported pastas to specialty liqueurs.

Chef Adriano's passion for Pronto is very evident to every customer who steps through the door, even if the inside of the restaurant looks different from the last time they were there. He's continually improving the space and menu — his labor of love for Pronto and for the community who supports it.

“I always want to come here because I always want to change something to make it look better, feel better, just be better,” he says.

See what Chef Adriano’s up to in the video below.

Alumni Chefs Restaurants

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Alumni Spotlight: Chef Shant Halajian

abaker — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:38:44 +0000

Alumni Spotlight: Chef Shant Halajian abaker Wed, 07/26/2023 - 10:38 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/shant-halajian-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=PQ8v_qnd The Culinary Arts alum oversees two restaurants in The Glenmark Hotel in Glendale, California September 11, 2024

By Abbe Lewis

Update: Chef Shant announced in an Instagram post that he is competing in season 23 of the TV show Hell's Kitchen, with the first episode airing September 26. We at ICE are so proud of him and cannot wait to see all of the incredible food he makes on the show!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shant Halajian (@therealchefshant)

The Culinary Arts Alum Reflects on His Journey to Becoming a Chef

“I used to come home from school, first grade or second grade, and for me, my mom’s cooking is the epitome of cooking,” says Chef Shant Halajian, ICE alum and now Executive Chef of The Glenmark Hotel in Glendale, California. “I would take the batches of food she would make...and transform them into a restaurant quality dish.”

An Aleppo, Syria native who would settle in the City of Angels at 10 years old, Chef Shant has spent much of his life in kitchens, chopping onions and washing dishes. When he reached his late teenage years, he took the bull by the horns and chased down his career in the industry. He enrolled in ICE’s Culinary Arts career program, and moved from working at Carousel restaurant in Glendale to flying across the country to stage at Daniel Humm’s three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park before landing his externship at Thomas Keller’s famed The French Laundry in Yountville, California.

After graduation, Chef Shant returned home to Glendale and began working the line at the glitzy Glenmark boutique hotel. The Glenmark is home to two restaurants, Olia, a casual establishment doling out breakfast items and Italian cuisine for dinner on the ground floor, and MYA, a posh Japanese restaurant on the roof with 360˚ views — and Chef Shant oversees culinary direction for both.

Check out Chef Shant’s journey in the video below.

Video Alumni

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ICE Los Angeles 2023 Commencement Recap

abaker — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 19:53:21 +0000

ICE Los Angeles 2023 Commencement Recap abaker Wed, 06/21/2023 - 15:53 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/ICE%20LA%20Commencement%202023%20Group%20Photo%20-%20HERO.jpg.webp?itok=qeuj4KZg June 26, 2023

By ICE Staff

The 51�Թ� (ICE) celebrates the accomplishments of the 2022-2023 graduating class at its commencement ceremonies at the New York City and Los Angeles campuses.

This new generation of culinary professionals have completed at least one of ICE’s diploma or associate degree programs, including Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Plant-Based Culinary Arts and Restaurant & Culinary Management. This year, ICE is also proud to announce the first graduates of its Online Culinary Arts & Food Operations program.

At the ICE Los Angeles ceremony, graduates heard from chef, restaurant owner, author and TV personality Stephanie Izard. Chef Izard owns and operates seven highly-respected properties in Los Angeles and Chicago, including Girl & the Goat, Little Goat, Duck Duck Goat, Cabra and Sugargoat. The American public met Chef Izard during her time on the forth season of Bravo's "Top Chef," which she won. She's also the author “Girl in the Kitchen” and “Gather & Graze,” as well as the creator of the product line This Little Goat. She is the recipient of the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes in 2013 and the 2011 Food & Wine “Best New Chef” winner.

As always, ICE’s focus is on expanding its program offerings to offer students opportunities in an ever-evolving food landscape. The Online Culinary Arts and Food Operations program continues to grow to be eligible in new states across the U.S. As the industry continues to advance in the area of plant-based offerings, ICE has changed the name of its program to Plant-Based Culinary Arts (formerly Health-Supportive Culinary Arts), launched an online version of the program and transformed its curriculum based on feedback from the industry.

Watch the full recap video below.

Graduation Los Angeles News