Meet ICE NYC’s Commencement Speakers: Chefs Stefano Secchi and Helen Nguyen

For the Institute, commencement marks the end of an exciting whirlwind year; for its students, it marks both the clearing of a major milestone and the launch of a culinary career.

ICE celebrated its 50th anniversary throughout 2025, honoring the occasion with exclusive panels, unique volunteer and networking opportunities, and an epic party (that hospitality industry leaders and distinguished alumni attended in full force). 

Additionally, the Institute awarded five student scholarships — one per decade of the school’s 50-year history. Students enrolled in in-person classes attended or accessed many of these events.

Now, they will walk alongside their culinary school classmates toward the culmination of hard work and a dream. 

Commencement will be held at the performing arts auditorium inside BMCC, a venue whose Tribeca location — just steps from the Institute’s downtown Manhattan campus — reflects the vision, vibrancy and pulse of NYC’s creative identity.

Graduates, faculty and hospitality industry leaders will be in attendance. Two will serve as featured speakers, reflecting the depth of experience and leadership across the industry. 

As graduates prepare to take the next step in their culinary and hospitality careers, the event highlights the training, connections and opportunities that define an ICE education.

This year’s ceremony features a keynote speaker and alumni speaker whose careers highlight the value of formal culinary training and the possibilities that it can create. 

Wisdom, Well-Seasoned: Meet the ICE NYC Speakers.

The Institute is honored to welcome Chef Stefano Secchi and ICE alumna Chef Helen Nguyen. Together, they represent the range of culinary career paths available to graduates — from leading acclaimed restaurants to building community-driven culinary businesses in New York City.

Chef Stefano Secchi

Chef Stefano Secchi, this year’s keynote speaker, is the chef and partner of Rezdôra and Massara, two celebrated Italian restaurants in New York City.

At Rezdôra, his Michelin-starred Flatiron restaurant, Chef Secchi focuses on the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna, with a menu centered on handmade pasta and regional Italian traditions. Since opening in 2019, the restaurant has earned a three-star review from The New York Times, a Michelin star from 2021 through 2025 and recognition as one of the top Italian restaurants in the world.

Chef Secchi’s approach is rooted in years of training in Italy, including time at Osteria Francescana under Massimo Bottura, as well as experience working alongside regional experts in Modena and Piemonte. His work reflects a deep commitment to craft, tradition and technique — values that align closely with ICE’s approach to culinary education.

In addition to his restaurants, Chef Secchi is actively involved in the New York food community, supporting organizations such as No Kid Hungry, City Harvest and God’s Love We Deliver.

Chef Helen Nguyen

Chef Helen Nguyen, ICE Culinary Arts alumna (Class of 2017) and chef/owner of Saigon Social, will address graduates as this year’s alumni speaker.

Before launching her career, Nguyen trained at ICE’s New York campus — an experience she says left a lasting impression on how she approaches the industry today.

“I remember touring four or five different schools, and with ICE being in their new facility [at Brookfield Place in Manhattan], one of the things that called out to me was being able to look out at the water — and being in that beautiful space.”

Chef Nguyen’s path to opening her Lower East Side restaurant reflects both resilience and a strong sense of purpose. After beginning her career in real estate, she transitioned into the culinary world, training under Daniel Boulud before pursuing her own concept rooted in Vietnamese comfort food.

Originally scheduled to open in March 2020, Saigon Social was delayed by the pandemic. In response, Chef Nguyen transformed the space into a community kitchen, providing meals to frontline workers and partnering with organizations like Heart of Dinner and Feed Forward.

When the restaurant officially opened in 2022, it quickly gained recognition, earning a two-star review from The New York Times and a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for Best Chef: New York State.

Chef Nguyen’s career reflects the power of perseverance, community and connection — values shaped in part by her experience at ICE and continued through her work in New York’s restaurant industry.

Class of 2026: Now Serving

Both chefs bring decades of experience to this year's commencement grounded in real-world kitchen leadership. For ICE graduates, the moment marks the leap from training to industry — where expectations are higher, the pace is faster and every skill is put to the test.