This month, our Business Bites Resources — brought to you by ICC’s Food Business Fundamentals program — provides tips for food businesses looking for shared kitchen spaces in the wake of the sudden closing of Pilotworks earlier this month. Out of nowhere, 175 small businesses were displaced “after failing to raise the necessary capital to continue operations.”

In 1796, Amelia Simmons accomplished something that had never been done in America before — she published a cookbook. Contained within its 47 pages were recipes informed by British heritage and culture. Though her cookbook was the first to be written by an American, she still had to sign a contract with a publisher to get her book on shelves.

Before Chef Toni Lynn Dickinson returned to her alma matter — the International Culinary Center — as Pastry Chef Instructor in 1997, she was working in some of NYC’s most exclusive kitchens like The River Café and Le Cirque. Her experience as Private Chef for the Italian Consulate in New York, and owning her own catering company — Amye J’s, had her creating and executing menus for clients from around the world. But, what many don’t know is that Chef Toni was dazzling audiences long before her career as a Pastry Chef.

A Q&A with the founder of Kee's Chocolates.

In February of this year, I had the pleasure of tagging along with our students on their Professional Culinary Arts Immersion plus Farm-to-Table field trip for a couple of days. On day one, after an eye-opening trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to learn about the nationally acclaimed Seafood Watch program, we made our way out to the Monterey Bay Municipal Wharf.

Smart people and businesses reinvent themselves in order to adjust to current needs. The International Culinary Center (ICC) is one such business. In an effort to adequately prepare Professional Pastry Arts students for work in the industry, chef instructors teach techniques to create sophisticated plated desserts. The culmination of this training? Restaurant Day.

Starting culinary school is exciting, but it can also feel like a lot at once.

Georgia Pellegrini is a food blogger and cookbook author with cooking experience at Michelin-starred restaurants.

The International Culinary Center’s dedication to cultivating talent in its students begins with the passion and commitment of its renowned faculty and staff. Among those on the ICC Team driving student success is a long list of esteemed culinary professionals serving as deans and master chefs.