I’ll be honest, I never thought I’d actually go to culinary school. I’ve always loved to cook, and the idea of culinary school has always appealed to me, but I never thought it’d be an experience that I’d have the opportunity to explore.

Michael McGowan (Culinary/Management, ‘15) and Paloma Machado-McGowan (Culinary/Management, ‘14) were both drawn to the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City location. Michael, from South Florida, wanted to work at the best restaurants in the world, and Paloma, from Brazil, liked the combination of classic techniques and international cuisines in small classes. They each walked away with dual diplomas and a spouse, plus the New York restaurant experiences they’d craved.

Institute of Culinary Education chefs are innovating with Italy's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena in sweet and savory dishes and drinks. Chef Barry Tonkinson takes on an acidic "meringue" and marinated figs to balance an earthy approach to celery root.

Following a recipe isn’t necessarily a direct route for success, in Matt Alter’s (Culinary/Management, ‘12) view. The executive chef of Natalie’s Coal-Fired Pizza and Live Music near Columbus, Ohio, likes to experiment, often for many hours and with a basket full of ingredients, before he gets something right.

Natural Gourmet Institute founder Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D., paved the way as a female industry leader in the conversation of “food as medicine” early on. Today, her teachings and beliefs continue to empower food professionals and enthusiasts. In honor of International Women’s Day, here are tips on food and health from some of our favorite female chef instructors, whose careers Dr. Colbin inspired.

Making deals is in Eddie Navarrette’s DNA. His father was a car salesman and he’s since earned the nickname “Fast Eddie” for his ability to efficiently navigate the murky waters of city and state permitting and ABC licensing, an acronym for the Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control. His firm FE Design & Consulting works with restaurant and hospitality clients in Los Angeles.

Geoffrey Zakarian didn’t realize he wanted to be a chef until age 21. The economics major traveled to France on his summer break from college and discovered the Michelin Guide. He chose a one-star restaurant for lunch each Friday until a game of roulette in Monte Carlo afforded him three-star meals.

March is National Nutrition Month, a great opportunity to reassess our relationship with food and commit to making better food choices. There is a lot of advice for how we should eat, and it can get overwhelming. We know we should eat enough — but not too much — fat, protein and carbohydrates. And we know (especially through our #WellnessWednesday tips) that we should be getting our full complement of vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients.

Through this project, we wanted to explore the possibilities of producing vinegars from various fruits and vegetables and then experiment with the resulting ingredients to design dishes that highlight each vinegar’s unique traits. Before going into the specifics of the project, however, it is best to understand a few basic concepts behind fermenting foods in general.

Institute of Culinary Education instructors are innovating with Italy's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena in sweet and savory dishes and drinks. Here, Director of Beverage Studies Eamon Rockey combines the complex ingredient with Lambrusco and an Amarena cherry for a truly Italian libation.