ICE Alumni Featured at James Beard Foundation’s Chefs & Champagne

The annual celebration features champagne, wine from Wölffer Estate Vineyard, Stella Artois beers and culinary offerings from a group of over 30 talented top chefs. This year three ICE alumni were on a select list of chefs preparing food for the event. Missy Robbins (Culinary ’95) of A Voce prepared Italian-Style Lobster Rolls with Fennel and Sea Salt Potato Chips and Matt Weingarten (Culinary ’96) of Inside Park at St. Bart's also prepared a lobster dish — Barnegat Light Lobster with Lemon Ricotta and Micro-Sorrel.

On the pastry side, Zac Young (Pastry ’06) of Flex Mussels and Top Chef: Just Desserts prepared Lemon Meringue Pie with Disco Blueberries. Other star chefs included Daniel Boulud of Daniel, Marc Forgione of Marc Forgione, Kerry Heffernan of South Gate at Jumeirah Essex House, Sara Jenkins of Porchetta and Porsena, Elizabeth Karmel of Hill Country, Jennifer McCoy of Craft, Jehangir Mehta of Graffiti and Mehtaphor, George Mendes of Aldea and ICE Chefs’ Advisory Council member Marcus Samuelsson. It was an incredible menu from an outstanding roster of chefs. The event also honors an outstanding figure in the food world and this year’s honoree, Emeril Lagasse, has certainly made his mark on the food world. Lagasse is the chef or owner of 12 restaurants and has written 15 books.

The famed chef was honored for his contribution to the food world as well as his dedication to education in the Culinary Arts. The event is also a chance to award a student the chance to pursue a career in the food industry through the Christian Wölffer Scholarship for wine and food studies. The winner was announced at the event and will go on to pursue culinary education on the road to a long and successful culinary career — just one of the many ways the James Beard Foundation gives back to the next generation of chefs.