“If you cook, you are going to get hurt.” The crowd that gathered for a panel discussion on modernist cooking erupted into laughter, but Wylie Dufresne’s observation was gravely accurate. Extreme heat (and cold—working with liquid nitrogen was the object of Wylie’s remark), sharp knives and heavy equipment are some of the perils cooks must navigate in their daily workplace environment. Add to the mix a dash of occasional chaos and the pressure to produce at breakneck speed, and it’s a wonder more chefs don’t bear hideous deformities.

I am constantly asking my students at ICE, “What role does this ingredient play in the recipe we are making?” In the case of butter—an ingredient most cooks take for granted—there are many answers. Most students immediately respond that butter adds flavor and richness to a recipe, which is correct. But did you know that butter could also be considered a leavening agent? (Think about puff pastry!) Let’s take a closer look at what—beyond flavor—butter is adding to all the fabulous baked goods ICE students are making in our classrooms.

“ As Minimum Wages Rise, Restaurants Say No to Tips, Yes to Higher Prices,” reads the New York Times headline. I experienced this seismic change firsthand on a trip to St. Louis. My son and I stopped for an impromptu lunch at a very modest neighborhood café (see: worn upholstery, paper menus and general shabby charm). Only two other tables were occupied during prime lunch service, and one look at the extravagant menu prices had me wondering if we were in for a taste of highway robbery.

In today’s food culture, ingredient-focused or “farm-to-table” cuisine has become so commonplace that many young chefs can’t remember a time before it existed. Before the dawn of Instagram, food blogs and YouTube videos, a generation of chefs willed this movement into existence through a series of earth-shattering cookbooks.

Of all the career changes ICE students have made over the years, figure skater to chef might be the most unusual. That’s just what ICE Culinary Arts alum Arnold Myint did, building on his talent for showmanship to develop a nationally recognized culinary brand.

From a tiny farm-to-table restaurant in the Pacific Northwest to the high-volume luxury of NYC’s Waldorf Astoria, ICE Chef Instructor Sam Kadko’s career has been nothing if not diverse. After 40 years in the industry, Chef Sam is still exploring the limits of his skill set, from growing organic produce to implementing ICE’s curriculum at our partner school in Russia.

I didn't think field trips could get any better than grade school visits to the zoo, the science center or the monuments in Washington, D.C. But when Chef Jenny McCoy announced our class would be visiting Mast Brothers Chocolate Makers and OddFellows Ice Cream Co. in Brooklyn, I had a feeling this field trip would top them all.

My first two months of culinary school have been full of lessons. Always keep your cutting board clean. Hold your knife down and away from others when walking. Never leave your spatula on the stove. (Chef James will be happy to know I’m getting better at that last one.) But the biggest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of following your passion.

With training that spans Manhattan’s finest kitchens and more than eight years running product development for FreshDirect, it’s safe to say that ICE Culinary Arts & Culinary Management alum Tina Bourbeau can tackle even the toughest of challenges. We checked in with this all-star grad to learn more about her path from student to the distinguished title of senior director of research & development.

Ganache—which calls for only two ingredients, heavy cream and bittersweet chocolate—is one of the easiest and most fundamental recipes in a pastry chef’s repertoire. Chop chocolate finely, add hot heavy cream, mix them together and voilà, you’re done!