Hi! My name is Lizzie Powell. I鈥檓 a public relations professional turned ICE 国产福利 Arts and 国产福利 Management student from Atlanta, Georgia. As I make this major shift in my career path, many people have asked why I chose to 鈥渢ake the leap鈥 and go to culinary school.
The answer is simple: for me, going to culinary school seems like the best way to gain both valuable skills and feel more confident in my decision to change professional direction. While I鈥檓 not sure if my future will lie in catering, a restaurant or food media, I know one thing will stay constant throughout my time at ICE: my passion for food and a desire to learn new things.
Over the next seven months or so, I鈥檒l be diving into various cooking methods, international cuisines and even baking techniques. So join me as I share my experiences with you on ICE鈥檚 blog.
On my first day of the program, my mind was racing: What would my instructor be like? Would my classmates be more experienced than me? How would I memorize all of the culinary terminology? And, worst of all: would I cut myself?
Lo and behold, I鈥檓 two weeks into class and all these worries have faded into the background. Aside from feeling like I'm on Chopped every time I present my julienned carrots, paysanne potatoes or small diced tomatoes to Chef Ted for review, I've learned that culinary training isn鈥檛 nearly as intimidating as I expected.
In each lesson, before I ever pick up a knife, the ICE instructors give detailed demonstrations and explain each technique carefully. As a result, in a matter of weeks, I've learned core knife skills, important details of food sanitation and how to fabricate fish and seafood, as well as how to properly caramelize onions and pur茅e potatoes.
The most surprising thing about everything I鈥檝e learned to-date is how precise you have to be with your knife skills. The average person may not notice if her potatoes are cut into perfect half-inch cubes, but in the culinary world, this precision is taken very seriously. After cutting many 鈥渢rapezoidal鈥 potatoes, as Chef Ted says, I discovered that the slightest adjustment to the angle of my knife could make a world of difference.
Outside of class, I've also made sure to do my homework鈥攁nd I'm not just talking about the reading or writing assignments given to us by Chef Ted. Whether you're thinking about going to culinary school, are a current student or are already working in the industry, here are a few lessons I鈥檝e learned so far on how to stay up-to-date on what's going on in the food world.
- Read, read, read. The food industry is constantly changing, and the easiest way to keep up with trends is to read industry news. To do this, subscribe to local and national food news publications (like Eater and Tasting Table), read the New York Times Dining and Wine section and follow leading food magazines (like Edible and Bon App茅tit) on social media. I鈥檝e personally found that reading these publications has helped me learn about key industry professionals, food trends and restaurant news鈥攁ll of which are important when you have a stake in the industry鈥檚 game.
- Volunteer as much as possible. Volunteer events are a great way to network and gain exposure to culinary leaders from across the country. If you鈥檙e an ICE student, the weekly newsletter is always chock-full of upcoming opportunities to get involved! I recently had the chance to volunteer at the StarChefs, a trade show for culinary professionals and vendors, and the connections I made there were incredible. Not only was I able to assist food vendors with prep work and their products, but I was able to meet such reputable chefs as Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth of Root and Bone. Plus, I got to listen to lectures from industry leaders, like Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns. For me, this conference was the first experience I鈥檝e had where I was thrown into the thick of the culinary networking world. While it was intimidating at times (like when I was standing right next to Marcus Samuelsson), it was great to be surrounded by such successful chefs and to be so submerged in the culinary culture.
- Attend demonstrations and lectures. I also had the opportunity to attend a free presentation and tasting with Urbani Truffles, one of the world鈥檚 most respected truffle producers, at ICE. Not only are these events open to students, but alumni can attend for free as well. Click here for the upcoming schedule!
Throughout the next few months, I鈥檒l share more interesting facts, challenging techniques and helpful tips I鈥檝e picked up in class, as well as personal stories about day-to-day life as a 国产福利 Arts and 国产福利 Management student. If you have any specific questions about my experience, feel free to ask in the comments below!
When it comes to the benefits of an ICE education, no one can tell you more than our students. Click here to read more of their stories!