Explore ICE's Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Lab in this two-day chocolate experience. In this workshop, open to pastry and culinary professionals, ICE Chef Michael Laiskonis offers an exclusive hands-on look at the bean-to-bar chocolate making process. Attendees will roast, winnow, grind, formulate, and refine artisan-quality couverture, creating a one-of-a-kind batch from start to finish. Additional discussion will include tempering, molding, and further applications of the finished chocolate. You will cover: - An introduction to the history and culture of craft chocolate - Cleaning and sorting of cacao beans - Roasting, winnowing, and grinding cacao beans - Refining process - Tempering and molding finished chocolate bars Two batches of single-origin dark chocolate will be made. Students will leave the class with samples of the chocolate produced, and exclusive bars available only at ICE. Michael Laiskonis joined ICE in 2012 fresh off of an eight-year tenure as Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin. Laiskonis has long been one of the industry's most creative and talented chefs. He helped Le Bernardin earn four stars from "The New York Times" and three Michelin stars. He was named to America's Top Ten Pastry Chefs by "Pastry Art & Design" in both 2002 and 2003 and was "Bon Appétit's" Pastry Chef of the Year in 2004. Best known for his use of modern techniques to reinvent classic desserts, he was also awarded the coveted James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2007. Most recently, Chef Laiskonis received the IACP's 2014 Culinary Professional of the Year Award, one of the most distinguished honors in the culinary field. Laiskonis has been an active writer, in print and on-line, including "Gourmet", "Saveur", and "The Atlantic" and has appeared on television shows such as "Top Chef: Just Desserts". While Laiskonis is best known as a pastry chef, he spent most of the first half of his career on the savory side of the kitchen.
You will work in teams to execute the class menu. At the end of class, participants gather to enjoy the food they have prepared. Wine is served with meals in most classes. All class menus are subject to change. While a snack platter is offered in both morning and evening classes, you may want to consider a light snack before joining us for class. Students are encouraged to bring a light lunch or dinner to all pastry classes.
You will work in teams to execute the class menu. At the end of class, participants gather to enjoy the food they have prepared. Wine is served with meals in most classes. All class menus are subject to change. While a snack platter is offered in both morning and evening classes, you may want to consider a light snack before joining us for class. Students are encouraged to bring a light lunch or dinner to all pastry classes.
Biting into fresh-caught seafood, just off the grill with a squeeze of lemon, is summer at its best. In this class, your chef will lead you through a complete seafood grilling menu, perfect for a party or a simple dinner. You will make: gazpacho with grilled shrimp; grilled squid with navy bean salad; Spanish style monkfish skewers; and charred corn, tomato and avocado salad.
If you're looking to spend more than a few hours at a recreational class but don’t have the time or the investment for the full-blown professional track, we’ve designed this course especially for you. In this 13-lesson program, you will cover the foundations of the culinary arts, training you to be an accomplished cook. These classes are derived from the same core curriculum as ICE’s culinary career program and will be taught by the school’s top chef-instructors. Throughout the 13 lessons, you will gain a strong understanding of cuisine and its underpinnings.
In this class, we examine the use of syrups, infusions, tinctures, and shrubs as essential components of modern mixology. Participants will explore what each preparation is, its purpose within a cocktail, and how it contributes to balance, aroma, texture, and overall flavor structure. The course covers both classical and contemporary preparation methods, with attention to ingredient selection, extraction techniques, and shelf stability. Through practical examples and guided discussion, students will learn how to thoughtfully apply these elements to enhance classic cocktails and develop original creations with greater precision and confidence.
On Sundays in Italian neighborhoods in Brooklyn, families gather for hearty dinners of Italian-American favorites. You will enjoy the preparation of a generous Sunday dinner including: bucatini with meatballs, sweet sausage and Sunday gravy; chicken cacciatore with polenta; fennel layered with potatoes and breadcrumbs; and broccoli salad.
Ranked as America’s Best Culinary School (USAToday 2019), our roster of Chef-Instructors have run top kitchens around the globe.