In April, ICE opened its doors to welcome past students for the Annual Alumni Party. This year’s mood was especially celebratory, as we officially unveiled the launch of the ice.edu website. Though the halls, the familiar, friendly faces of Chef Instructors and staff haven’t changed much, but our look is all new, inviting ICE students to “find their culinary voice.”

I’m not going to insult you with another basic ‘ how to grill’ post. I won’t bore you with talk about how to set up your fire so that one side of the grill is hotter than the other so you can sear foods and cook larger, denser cuts at the same time. I won’t waste your time reminding that 30 to 60 minutes before cooking you should remove meats from the refrigerator and season them. And I’ll certainly not rattle on about patting meats dry before you cook them, then brushing them with oil and seasoning again with salt and pepper immediately before they hit the grill.

A riddle: How many drops of rain does it take to kill a GoogaMooga? The answer: None; GoogaMoogas aren’t killed by rain.

Dave Crofton head baker at One Girl Cookies is a warm guy with a big personality. He has a unique passion for baking that’s inspiring to watch. But Dave’s story does not follow the traditional path to success.

I have always loved food. Loved to cook. Loved to talk about food, think about food, read about food. You get the gist. Food + Me = Love! But recently, my relationship with food was challenged. My love turned to fear. One of my children was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies to peanuts, most tree nuts and sesame, while another child was diagnosed with celiac disease, along with the same allergies. Shortly thereafter, I was diagnosed with celiac disease (my mom was too!). Looks like we’ve been living with these issues for years and had no idea!

The average career of a football player is only said to be a little more than three years. So what is a player to do after his days on the gridiron are over? Many want to open a restaurant and some even want to open their own hotel. With all that in mind the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) hosted 21 current and former professional football players for a NFL Hospitality and Culinary Management Workshop.

As a cultivated crop, rhubarb has been aptly nicknamed "pie-plant" and does best as a spring-planted crop. This recipe for rhubarb-apple compte illustrates how rhubarb can be matched with fruits other than strawberries. Paired with grilled pork chops, it makes a nice accompaniment offering a sweet-tart contrast to the meat.

By now, you've maybe pickled a batch of ramps, anticipating the end of their short season. But if you're interested in further exploring the potential of these "wild leeks", ICE Chef Instructor Sam Kadko has a savory dish that's sure to make your mouth water: potato-ramp latkes.

Last week, more than 250 members of the New York community came together to support STREETS International, a Hoi An, Vietnam-based nonprofit organization that trains underprivileged young men and women to succeed in their region's growing 5-star hospitality industry.

Last night, ICE students and recent graduates cooked with the culinary stars at the James Beard Awards. Among the hundreds of volunteer opportunities we organize each year, these annual awards stand out as one of the most exciting, providing students with the chance to cook alongside such influential chefs as Grant Achatz, Michael Mina and Marcus Samuelsson.