Recreational Classes at ICE LA

With the birds chirping, flowers blooming and the sun blazing, there couldn’t be a better reason to celebrate!

In this 3-session class series, we will look at bright and bracing cocktails, a perfect pairing to all things spring! We’ll try the French ‘75, a potent gin cocktail made even more so by being topped with Champagne. We will stop in with Carthusian Monks and hear their Final Word, a cocktail best had at the end of brunch, with quite a few libations in between. You’ll most certainly have some spring in your step after these three classes!

France’s Bordeaux region produces some of the world’s most long-lived and collectable wines. It is the role-model to the world for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines.

In this four-session class series, we will explore the history of the Bordeaux region's development and discover its diversity of styles. Throughout this series of classes, students will taste approximately 24 wines exemplary of the Bordeaux region.

Playtime in the daytime! Whether it be brunch, Mother’s Day, graduation, there are a lot of festivities happening right now.  In this class, we will be enjoying all manner of pick-me-ups. Mimosas and the omnipresent Bloody Mary may take the spotlight, but there are a myriad of drinks made for daytime enjoyment!

France’s Burgundy wine region can be the most elusive to understand and the most fickle for quality. In spite of the fact that its wines are the product of just two grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the sub-regions where they grow have a strong impact on the aromas and flavors they present. In this 5-session course, we will begin to scratch the surface of this region and see how its wines can get under your skin.

This six-session course, taught by ICE's Lead Instructor of Wine Studies and Advanced Sommelier, Paul Sherman, uses grape varieties, as well as winemaking regions, as the keys to understanding the full wine spectrum. You will receive a thorough introduction to winemaking, tasting, laws and labeling as you learn about wine components and taste some of the world’s most celebrated wines.

The gin and tonic elixir has come a long way from being used to stave off malaria (yes, that's true!). The drink is now enjoyed around the world everywhere liquor is served. Your introduction to this famous cocktail starts with the discovery of tonic water by the British Navy in the 1850s. You'll sample tonic varieties available today that still harken back to this period and you'll learn how to make tonic water yourself. From there, you'll taste different styles of gin, from floral and botanical to stronger and more assertive. Then comes the magic: You'll be taught how to mix the two using different styles of gin and tonics available around the world today. Cheers!

Tiki drinks are considered the most fun category of drinks, and if you’ve ever stepped into a bustling tiki bar (there’s no other kind), you know what we mean! Come dip your toes in the water and see exactly what that person in the Hawaiian shirt is mixing behind the bar. We'll discuss (and try!) the different kinds of rums and cordials that go into the drinks of this storied category. Then you'll be taught how to make and enjoy a few of the classics. Along the way, we'll suggest a few riffs, just in case you're interested in making this crazy category of drinks even crazier!

Let’s celebrate our rich bounty and see what's in season right now! We'll venture out to the South Pasadena Farmer’s Market and see what is available that day! Then, in a very low-pressure version of ‘Iron Chef,’ we'll create cocktails using what we’ve gotten from the market! We'll make syrups, juices, and cordials with what is fresh and seasonal, and then, using a myriad of classic cocktails as our canvas, we'll come up with our own “farmer’s market” variations!

This four-part introductory course covers core topics in the field of plant-based culinary arts.

• Fundamentals of Culinary Arts: Selecting quality ingredients, knife skills nutrition science and more.
• Foundations of Plant-Based Culinary Arts: Beans, grains, stocks, sauces and soup preparations, fermented foods and more.
• Plant-Based Proteins: Dairy alternatives, roots, shoots, pods, bulbs and more.
• Baking and Desserts: Making baked goods and desserts that meet special dietary needs: vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and more.

This four-party course builds on the fundamentals taught in Introduction to Plant-Based Cooking and covers advanced techniques and skills. 

• Advanced Culinary Applications: Sous vide, low-temperature cooking and more.
• International Cuisine: Flavors and techniques from Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.
• International Cuisine, Part 2: Flavors and techniques from China, India and South East Asia.
• Advanced Culinary Technique: Cooking for special diets like gluten- and lactose-free recipes, and Ayurvedic cooking.

The duration and cost of Introduction to Plant-Based Cooking and Advanced Plant-Based Cooking varies slightly according to the schedule option selected. Students may attend class three or five days per week.

Intro to Plant-Based Cooking Dates

• April 9 to June 25: Mon. - Fri., 12 pm - 4 pm
• June 26 to November 5: Tues. - Thurs., 6 pm - 10 pm

Advanced Plant-Based Cooking Dates

• April 9 to June 25: Mon. - Fri., 7:30 am - 11:30 am 
• June 26 to September 18: Mon. - Fri., 12 pm - 4 pm

Call (888) 718-CHEF or email our Admissions team at LAadmissions@ice.edu to learn more about our plant-based cooking courses. We'll find a course that aligns with your goals and a schedule that works with your lifestyle.