What do the pastry chef of Riverpark, a sous chef for Union Square Events, the HR director of Breads Bakery, a pastry cook for Jean-Georges, a sales associate at D’Artagnan and a cook for Gracie Mansion have in common? They are all ICE alumni and they were all welcomed back to ICE for our Annual Alumni Party.
Each spring, ICE throws open its doors to graduates from all four of our career programs – Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Culinary Management and Hospitality Management – for a celebration of all the talented folks who make up our dynamic alumni network. Over beverages and hors d’oeuvres provided by chef-instructor, Sabrina Sexton (herself a Culinary Arts ’94 alum), this year’s 150 or so attendees caught up with staff, faculty, and fellow classmates, while mingling and connecting with graduates from across many years and all 4 programs. (ICE has launched over 10,000 careers, so party attendees represent just a small sliver of our alumni population, which spans the globe!)
Among the night's highlights was a presentation by ICE President, Rick Smilow, of ICE’s future new home at Brookfield Place (the redeveloped World Financial Center) and the chance to meet the newest member of ICE’s extended family: the daughter of two ICE grads, Matthew Chin and Jonelle Thompson (Culinary '09 and '07).
We were also delighted to give away some of the many ICE alum-authored books to come out in the last year, including those by the recent James Beard and IACP Award winners, such as Edward Behr (Culinary, ’84), "50 Foods: The Essentials of Good Taste;" Amy Thielen (Culinary ’00) "The New Midwestern Table;" and Rick Mast (Management, ’06), "Mast Brothers Chocolate: A Family Cookbook."
A great time was had by all, and we’re energized about the prospect of following everyone’s successes over the coming year. Read more about recent ICE alumni success here.
