By Carly DeFilippo

 

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.

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ICE students cooked alongside alumni of the program, Le Thi Thuy and Nguyen Than Linh, preparing traditional dishes served in the STREETS Restaurant and Cafe in Hoi An. It was Le and Nguyen’s first time in the United States, an opportunity to spend two weeks exploring the city’s culinary industry, culminating with their appearance at the annual benefit, held at the Astor Center. For two students who couldn’t speak a word of English just two years ago, Le and Nguyen presented the dishes and culture of Vietnam with exceptional poise and enthusiasm.

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STREETS was founded by Dr. Neil Bermas and his partner Sondra Stewart in 2009. Today, their 18-month training program for disadvantaged Vietnamese youth is hosted at four locations in Hoi An: The STREETS Restaurant and Cafe, a training center, and two single-sex dorm houses.

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ICE President Rick Smilow and Chef Floyd Cardoz (North End Grill)

As for the dishes served at the fundraiser, a range of celebrated New York restaurants provided unique tastings. The line-up included August, Blue Smoke, North End Grill, Nightingale 9, Rosa Mexicano, Kuma Inn, Edi & the Wolf, Num Pang and The Meatball Shop.

Thanks to the help of STREETS’ many benefactors, including local culinary leaders such as Howard Greenstone (Rosa Mexicano), Phillip Baltz (Baltz & Company), Mark Maynard Parisi (Blue Smoke), and ICE President Rick Smilow, the event was a rousing success. It costs $1,800 for one student to complete the training program, and the benefit raised more than $125,000 for the organization.

ICE alum and TV personality Gail Simmons, Dr. Neal Bermas, and students from STREETS International

ICE alum and TV personality Gail Simmons, Dr. Neal Bermas, and students from STREETS International

Thank you to all the members of the ICE community who came out to support this incredible cause. As Dr. Bermas mentioned in his speech, we couldn’t be more proud to be part of such a generous industry.

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By Carly DeFilippo

 

This week, the New York culinary community celebrated the 20th anniversary of Chefs Collaborative, the leading national nonprofit network of chefs invested in creating a more sustainable food landscape. ICE hosted the cookbook launch for the collaborative’s 2013 publication, featuring recipes from such renowned chefs as Dan Barber, Rick Bayless, Mary Sue Milliken, and Ethan Stowell.

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A selection of chefs from across the country prepared a local, seasonal feast, featuring their recipes from the book. ICE students cooked alongside these culinary all-stars, preparing dishes such as Matthew Weingarten’s whey-poached triggerfish or Piper Davis’ Oregon filbert and honey tart.

ICE grad Seohyung Im and Chef Caroline Fidanza of Brooklyn's Saltie

ICE grad Seohyung Im and Chef Caroline Fidanza of Brooklyn’s Saltie

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ICE students helped prepare Andrea Reusing’s savory custard (Lantern).

Also in attendance was Ellen Jackson, who authored the 2013 cookbook in cooperation with the organization’s member chefs. In total, the text features 115 sustainable recipes, as well as dedicated sections addressing the benefits of organic products, baking with whole grains, sourcing sustainable fish, the comparative quality of frozen meat, and more.

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ICE President Rick Smilow, Ellen Jackson and Michael Leviton (Area Four; Lumiere)

We were also thrilled to see alumni working toward a more sustainable food industry, such as Sydney Schwarz of Sea to Table, as well as other members of the extended ICE family, like Chefs Advisory Council member Michael Anthony.

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Sydney Schwarz, Michael Anthony (Gramercy Tavern) and Seth Caswell (Bon Appetit Management Company)

Thank you to all the members of the Chefs Collaborative who helped make this event a success. It was our pleasure to celebrate your 20th anniversary and cookbook launch, and we look forward to continuing to support your efforts toward a more sustainable food industry.

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By Carly DeFilippo
 

Whether it’s aiding victims in the wake of Hurricane Sandy or supporting the day-to-day efforts of City Harvest, ICE has long been committed to contributing to the larger New York Community. But there are causes further afield that are also near and dear to our hearts, perhaps none so much as Streets International. Founded by former Culinary Management instructor Neal Bermas, this unique non-profit culinary training program teaches impoverished young Vietnamese men and women the life and professional skills they need to be employed in a 5-star culinary or hospitality setting.

This week, we were thrilled to welcome Neal and Streets alumni Le Thi Thuy and Nguyen Than Linh to our teaching kitchens, where they engaged in a cultural culinary exchange with our chef instructors and students. In the morning, Le and Nguyen joined Chef Lorrie Reynoso’s Culinary Arts class, tackling an eight recipe lesson on the regional cuisines of Northwest Italy.

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Le Thi Thuy, Nguyen Than Linh, and Chef Lorrie Reynoso’s Culinary Arts class.

Over four hours they learned to prepare wild boar ragu, fresh hand-cut pappardelle, and braised shrimp-stuffed calamari. From there, they moved on to giant veal chops stuffed with Fontina cheese, which were then breaded, pan-fried and finished in the oven with white truffle butter. Finishing off the rich menu, the students prepared a creamy gorgonzola risotto and sfogliata di radicchi (a Ligurian tart bursting with radicchio, spinach, raisins, oil cured olives and anchovies in puff pastry). Needless to say, these flavors were a far cry from the street food of Vietnam. The class concluded, as it always does at ICE, with a communal tasting and critique of the day’s work.

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Le Thi Thuy, Nguyen Than Linh, and ICE Dean of Students, Andy Gold.

In the afternoon, the tables turned, as ICE students attended a cooking demo where they learned to make traditional Vietnamese rice pancakes (Bánh xèo) and winter melon soup. As Neal explained, Streets International is more than a school, it is also one of the most popular restaurants in Hoi An, Vietnam, seated at the heart of a blossoming tourism industry. In addition to culinary and hospitality skills, students are trained in English language and “life skills”, a foundation for communal living and working with others. At the end of their 18-month program, 100% of Streets students find work in 5-star establishments, as there are more jobs for highly trained locals than Streets can teach on an annual basis.

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Bánh xèo, a traditional Vietnamese rice pancake.

From the look of Le and Nguyen, two of Streets’ most talented graduates, you would never know the hardship and poverty in which they were raised. They now lead tours of Vietnamese markets for curious tourists and help manage the Streets Restaurant and Cafe. Next Wednesday, May 1st, the two will present traditional dishes at the annual Streets International NYC Benefit, which will also feature more than a dozen local chefs, such as Floyd Cardoz and Kenny Callaghan. Buy your tickets here: http://bit.ly/Zz9XEV.

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By Carly DeFilippo

Each year, ICE has the honor of hosting the annual Careers through Culinary Arts (C-CAP) New York competition. This year, 24 finalists from New York City public high schools prepared two traditional French dishes in under two hours, vying for the chance to win scholarships to finance their dreams of attending culinary school.

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The C-CAP finalists present their two dishes: suprême de poulet, sauce chasseur avec pommes château and crêpes sucrées.

The students were judged by a range of accomplished culinary professionals, including Sara Moulton, Nancy Olson, Matt Hoyle, David Garcelon, David Chavez, Philip DeMaiolo, Kyle Knall and Jason Weiner, as well as successful C-CAP alumni Cesar Gutierrez and Santo Saitta.

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C-CAP student finalists and judges Cesar Guttierez (C-CAP alum; Lexington Brass), Kyle Knall (Maysville), Matt Hoyle (Nobu 57), Sara Moulton (Cookbook Author/TV Personality), Nancy Olson (Gramercy Tavern) and Santo Saitta (C-CAP Alum, Bar Boulud).

ICE Chef Instructor Ted Siegel was also on hand, a veteran judge of the annual competition. Clearly moved and impressed by the students’ ambitions, I asked Chef Ted to speak about his experience with the program:

The C-CAP is an execptionally important program, nationwide, geared to helping high school students prepare themselves for careers in the food service industry. It provides students with opportunities to enter the industry through scholarships to culinary schools such as ICE, The Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales and ICC (just to name a few) or cash awards. 

Chef Ted Siegel judges the poulet chasseur and crêpes sucrées prepared by the C-CAP competitors.

Chef Ted Siegel judges the poulet chasseur and crêpes sucrées prepared by the C-CAP competitors.

These are opportunities that these students might not have access to under normal circumstances. Many of the students are already working in the industry, at restaurants such as Daniel’s and Gramercy Tavern, while participating in the program. Not only does the program provide these student with training to develop their culinary and cooking skills, but more importantly it teaches them the value of self discipline, focus and hard work to achieve a specific set of goals. 

C-CAP alumni Cesar Gutierrez and Santo Saitta with C-CAP Founder and Chairman Richard Grausman and President Susan Robbins.

C-CAP alumni Cesar Gutierrez and Santo Saitta with C-CAP Founder and Chairman Richard Grausman and President Susan Robbins.

These are difficult times for adolescents to grow up in and navigate. The thing that I find so striking about the program is the level of passion, dedication and professional integrity the C-CAP students display year in and year out, thanks to the support of C-CAP’s Founder, Chef Richard Grausman, and President, Susan Robbins, as well as the C-CAP Culinary Coordinators, the individual teachers in C-CAP affiliated high schools throughout the US and the large support staff that is associated with C-CAP.

Thank you to C-CAP for yet another inspiring year. We look forward to teaching future generations of C-CAP winners for years to come!

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By Carly DeFilippo

Last night, forty lucky guests joined award-winning chef Rick Bayless for an intimate, “in the kitchen” fundraiser at ICE. The exciting four-course dinner was prepared by Bayless himself, along with Topolobampo Chef de Cuisine, Andres Padilla, and a team of ICE staff and student volunteers. From margaritas to mole, it was an incredible meal, raising $8,000 for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

We would like to thank Chefs Bayless and Padilla for sharing their inventive cuisine, and all guests for their generous donations. Here are some of our favorite shots from the evening:

Chef Bayless instructs ICE Chef-Instructor James Briscione and students how to plate the first course.

Pulpo y calamar en aguachile, with squid ink balls and galapagos tomato pearls.

Chef Andres Padilla and students plate the second course: ensalada otonal (blackened sunchokes infused with yucatan recado negro, chestnut crema).

Third course: carne asada en mole negro. Wood-roasted, 28-day aged prime ribeye, chipil tamal, porcini and smoky green beans.

Chef Andy Gold, Dean of Students, and culinary arts students plate dessert.


Hazelnut tres leches cake: poached quine, ricotta cheese, Oaxacan chocolate ice cream

Rick Smilow, owner and President of ICE, and Maria Guarnaschelli, editor of Bayless’ many cookbooks, were among the evening’s guests.

The very talented kitchen staff. Thank you again for volunteering your time – and hard work!

 

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By Carly DeFilippo

This Thanksgiving, ICE has partnered with a number of charitable organizations to serve less fortunate members of our New York City community. We would like to thank our students and staff who generously gave of their time to make these programs a success.

Culinary students joined forces with the Partnership for the Homeless and Chef George Duran to provide a traditional holiday meal for more 50 homeless men and women.

Our Special Events team donated kitchen space to By Any Meals, a five borough food drive that will provide hot meals to at least 500 New Yorkers in need.

Students also helped photographer Zoe Adlersberg roast turkeys for Hurricane Sandy victims. The turkeys will be served at two local restaurants in the Rockaways, providing 600 meals to families devastated by the storm. If you would like to donate to this ongoing initiative to feed hurricane victims, please click here.

We wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of our students, staff, chefs and the rest of the ICE community.

 

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Streets Chef Competition

Tim Love, Kerry Heffernan, Lauren Glassberg, Mark Maynard Parisi, Daniel Holzman, ICE President Rick Smilow and Neal Bermas

I’m a big advocate of supporting relatively small, entrepreneurial, and spirited non-profit groups that, in their own way, make the world a better place. One such charity is Hoi An, Vietnam–based STREETS International, founded in 2007 by Neal Bermas, a former ICE Culinary Management Instructor, and Sondra Stewart.

STREETS held its annual fundraiser at Astor Center on Thursday, March 29th. And I was lucky enough to attend with a group from ICE. The event included a walk-around tasting with modern street food, a chef cooking competition (for which I was a judge) and a short film about STREETS. Restaurants that participated in the street food tasting included Red Rooster, Morimoto, Bua, Rosa Mexicano, August, Blue Smoke and more. More…

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Yesterday, 20 high school students from across New York City gathered at ICE for a competition for scholarships to attend culinary school. The two-hour challenge was part of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), a program teaching high school students the skills they need for a career in the culinary industry. ICE President Rick Smilow was a long-standing member of the program’s board of directors.

Within a two-hour time limit, each competitor prepared, from memory, a two-course French meal —Hunter’s Chicken with Turned, Sautéed Potatoes and Crepes with Pastry Cream and Chocolate Sauce. The students presented plates of each dish to the judges including ICE Director of Culinary Arts Mike Handal, author and TV personality Sara Moulton, Executive Sous Chef David Chavez of Bouchon Bakery, Executive Chef Matt Hoyle of Nobu 57, Chef Kevin Lasko of Park Avenue Winter, C-CAP Founder and Chairman Richard Grausman and C-CAP President Susan Robbins. More…

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Last night The Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF) held A Slice of Latin America, their twelfth annual gala. CHCF provides programs and services such as childcare and education for Latino children and their families. The gala is a great party with lots of food, drink and music from some amazing local chefs.

As part of their programs, CHCF also encourages careers through the culinary arts for Latino high school students. Last month, they held their annual Latin Legacy Culinary Competition at ICE and after a cook-off between three very talented high school students, awarded a $15,000 partial ICE scholarship to Katherine Cruz. ICE Director of Student Affairs Andy Gold, who was one of the Gala’s Co-Chairs, presented her with the award last night during the gala. More…

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Yesterday, the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families (CHCF) hosted the finals for their annual Latin Legacy Culinary Competition at ICE. Three high school students from the Bronx donned their aprons for a chance to win a partial ICE scholarship worth $15,000.

Since 1982, CHCF has provided programs and services such as childcare and family health education for Latino children and their families. This year marked the sixth annual culinary competition, which was founded to give high school students with a love of the culinary arts a chance to express their passion and encourage them to pursue careers in the industry. More…

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