On Sunday, March 24, 2019, the International Culinary Center hosted a jam-packed day of discussions and networking for pastry professionals at the second Pastry Plus Conference. Pastry Plus provides a unique opportunity to connect the innovative minds of pastry professionals to meet and discuss the changing landscape of the industry. As a community, pastry chefs, sous chefs, line cooks, bakers and pastry business owners address the evolving workplace, learn about industry innovations and expand the sphere of the modern pastry chef.

The culinary industry is fast-paced and constantly growing, which is why our Professional Culinary Arts curriculum continues to evolve, preparing students for today’s kitchens and culinary scene. Whether it’s harnessing the wave of culinary technology—with lessons on sous-vide, low-temperature cooking, hydrocolloids and more—or connecting your culinary techniques to the beginning of the food chain—embracing sustainability and seasonality through our Farm-to-Table extension, students learn the techniques that today’s chefs need to know.

ICC In The News provides monthly highlights from articles published around the world that feature alumni, deans, faculty and more within the ICC community. Stories of our 15,000+ alumni network and their successes are continuously popping up across various prestigious publications. Below, we have brought together some of our favorites from May 2019, aimed to keep you connected with our community and inspire readers to #LoveWhatYouDo in the kitchen and beyond.

Oscar Barrera wasn’t always a chef—before he followed his passion for the kitchen, he was a medical resident studying to become a doctor in Chile. After realizing that food was his true calling, he competed on MasterChef Chile and worked with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants organization. It was through these experiences that Oscar desired to develop his skills in the kitchen—leading him to enroll in the International Culinary Center’s Professional Culinary Arts program in 2017!

Last year, ICC Professional Pastry Arts graduate and owner of Heritage Bakers, David Shalam took home the gold for his signature Heritage Bagel at the inaugural Tiptree World Bread Awards USA supported by American Bakers Association. This year, in addition to winning gold again for his Heritage Bagel, he also took home the top prize for his Little Scarlet Cream Filled Popovers.

When you think of Argentinean wines, Malbec almost always comes to mind. For more than a decade, Malbec has been ruling the terroir of the country, predominantly in the region of Mendoza.

Each year, we are always so proud to see alumni and Deans of the International Culinary Center recognized for excellence in their field. With the recent announcements from the James Beard Foundation, we’d like to congratulate the following ICC alumni [and Dean!] for being recognized in the list of 2018 James Beard Award Semifinalists!