Today, it’s nearly impossible to remember a time before food media stars and celebrity chefs. But, in fact, many of the most respected restaurant industry pioneers grew up knowing that their parents and friends looked down on their career choice. Such was the case for Brian Buckley, ICE’s first Culinary Management instructor.

Hello, my name is Jenny. I am a former executive pastry chef turned pastry chef instructor. Some might say I’m still in recovery. I began my career in Chicago, working my way up through the kitchens of Gordon’s, Blackbird and Charlie Trotter’s—true icons in the city’s culinary history. My time in these restaurants—like many culinary school graduates—was my first real introduction to restaurant slang all day and the “yes, chef” culture of kitchens.

After learning the fundamentals of cooking and acquiring a firm grasp of technique, it is our instinct as chefs—and often, a professional requirement—to develop variations on the most iconic dishes in the culinary canon. In truth, even the dishes we create “from scratch” seldom evolve in a vacuum; it is often the reinvention of a well-established dish that provides the best template for personal expression.

Growing up in Seoul, South Korea, I never really cared for extracurricular activities, sports never seemed that exciting and Model United Nations was simply not for me. Around the age of 12 or 13, I baked my first cake and realized how much I enjoyed cooking—and especially baking.

By now, we’re all familiar with the local food movement, but how much do you know about food waste? It’s incredible to consider that the average American family throws out $1,500 worth of groceries a year. While that may be horrible news for the environment, those of us in the restaurant industry also know that wasting food is literally throwing money in the trash.

Over the past 10 years, the number of bean-to-bar chocolate operations in the United States has grown exponentially. Yet no American culinary school has invested in a chocolate lab where pastry students and seasoned professionals can experience the full cycle of bean-to-bar production…until now.

According to culinary star Alex Guarnaschelli, ICE alum Michael Jenkins entered her restaurant as the “worst intern she ever had.” Ten years later, Michael is running Guarnaschelli’s kitchen as the executive chef at Butter restaurant in New York City.

Like the old phrase, the second module of the Culinary Arts program at ICE is literally a lesson on taking—or rather, managing—heat in the kitchen. For me, that meant facing my fears—of fire and overcooking proteins—and learning a lot more about cooking, and myself, in the process.

When it comes to innovation in the restaurant world, few challenges have been as important as the public’s growing interest in nutrition and wellness. Of all the New York City kitchens to respond to this call for healthier cooking, few have gained as much attention as the Michelin-starred Rouge Tomate.

A lot has been happening at ICE since the school took up full-time residence at Brookfield Place in May. For me, the most exciting element has been the creation of our new Culinary Technology Lab. Before your mind runs wild with cartoonish images of mad scientists in chef hats or smoking beakers full of neon liquids, let me explain.