At ICE, we're always thrilled to celebrate the successes of our graduates, and, in particular, to invite them "back to school" to share their stories and expertise with our current students. Most recently, we invited two outstanding alumni—Miguel Trinidad and Kamal Rose—to demonstrate some of their signature dishes and impart industry advice from their years of experience after ICE.
Chef Kamal Rose started working at the famed Tribeca Grill after graduating high school, enrolling at ICE as a way to further advance his technical skills. As the years went by, he worked his way up the ladder—and through every station in the kitchen—until he was named the restaurant's Executive Chef in 2012. His culinary voice combines his Caribbean heritage with Tribeca Grill’s new American style, as in one of his signature dishes, crab cakes with avocado mousse and black bean pineapple salsa.
Students were treated to very different dishes by ICE alumni Miguel Trinidad when he demonstrated Filipino street food, or pulutan. Miguel is the chef/owner of Jeepney Filipino Gastropub and Maharlika Filipino Moderno, both of which feature the foods he fell in love with while backpacking across the Philippines. The dishes he presented were chicken "cracking," beef skewers and barbecued pork, all paired with a vinegar sauce called suka.
In addition to introducing the audience to new techniques and flavor combinations, Chefs Kamal and Miguel also shared valuable career advice based on their own professional careers. Both stressed that ICE provided them with a solid culinary foundation, but that learning never stops when you work in the kitchen.
For students nervous about trailing or beginning their externships, they recommended three tips: write everything down in a notebook, work enthusiastically and be inquisitive but humble. While admitting that kitchen work can be very demanding, they stressed the pride in a job well done and the sense of satisfaction they feel at the end of the day. Their final take-away? Success is in the hands of each student, and a culinary career is one where you get out what you put in.
For more ICE alumni stories, click here. And if you're an ICE graduate, don't hesitate to reach out and share your success story by emailing alumnilisting@ice.edu!
