Panettone is a traditional gift given during the Christmas holidays in Italy.

One of the common misconceptions about culinary school is that it prepares graduates for one thing: to cook "on the line" in a restaurant. While all our students graduate with the skills they need to succeed in restaurant kitchens, the variety of careers that can spring from culinary education is endless. For students with an artistic eye, one such path is that of a food stylist. Culinary Arts ('09) graduate Dana Bonagura takes us through the paces of her creative culinary career.

Back in the spring, ICE approached me about putting together a crash course on Spanish cuisine for their Techniques and Skills series. This type of program already existed for other cuisines, but the school was lacking a set of classes covering Spanish food and wine. While it was flattering that my alma mater was now asking me to come back as an instructor, this offer presented a conflict of interest for me. Let me explain...

As one of the nation's leading culinary schools, our mission at ICE has always been to push the envelope and anticipate the changes that will shape the culinary industry. So when one of the world's most innovative and creative companies—IBM—approached us to collaborate in developing a software that could change the way chefs create new dishes, we were more than a little intrigued.

Once the Thanksgiving turkey has been polished off and the relatives have departed, all thoughts turn to Christmas and New Year's Eve. What better way to decorate for the winter holidays than with a homemade gingerbread house?

On November 18, eighty people—including several food industry VIPs—gathered at ICE for a Vietnamese cooking party to benefit STREETS International.

When possible, I make the enjoyable effort to have a meal in the restaurants that ICE alumni have opened as executive chef and/or owner. I don't have to travel far to do this in metro New York. But in late August, I made some trips to visit alumni spots in Seattle, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC—all in the space of 12 days! That lead to the idea to have a long distance “roundtable” interview with the three ICE alumni chef/owners: Joncarl Lachman (‘02), Tiffany MacIsaac (’02), and Rachel Yang (’01).

While the chocolate section of the Pastry & Baking Arts program is certainly a highlight for most students, it was truly transformative for a candy-lover like me. While I love to bake, there's nothing quite like crafting beautiful, delectable little candies from scratch. However, prior to beginning the chocolate portion of the pastry program, I had yet to spend much time making chocolate candies. Little did I know, my candy-making horizons were about to expand considerably.