Sean Creamer

ICE Graduates in the News: September 2024

ajohnson — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 15:24:48 +0000

ICE Graduates in the News: September 2024 ajohnson Sun, 09/15/2024 - 11:24 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/ICE%20Grads%20in%20the%20News%20Header.jpg.webp?itok=yFRvNI6e September 16, 2024

By Sean Creamer

Sean is a freelance writer at the Institute of �� Education (ICE), combining his passion for food with his storytelling expertise. An outdoor enthusiast interested in adventure writing, he enjoys exploring new recipes, visiting local markets, and experiencing culinary diversity in New York City.

Three Institute of �� Education alumni are making waves this month with high-profile achievements in the culinary world, demonstrating that hard work and dedication to the craft can lead to prestigious recognition in the restaurant industry.

Shant Halajian, an ICE Los Angeles graduate and Corporate Executive Chef for DreamHost in California, recently announced on Instagram that he will compete in the upcoming 23rd season of the TV show "Hell’s Kitchen" on FOX. The first episode of the season airs on September 26.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shant Halajian (@therealchefshant)

Chef Shant’s journey has been impressive, having previously served as the Executive Chef of the Glenmark Hotel in Glendale, where he oversaw two distinct restaurants: Olia, which offered breakfast and Italian dinners, and MYA, a rooftop restaurant inspired by Japanese cuisine. His versatility in managing different culinary styles has garnered attention, and now he will take his talents to the national stage.

Meanwhile, Mary Attea, an NYC ICE graduate and Executive Chef of both Rafs and the Michelin-starred The Musket Room, has been named one of "Food & Wine" magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2024.

ICE graduate Mary Attea.

This esteemed recognition adds to her growing list of accolades, including her 2023 nomination for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: New York State. Chef Mary is known for her modern approach to Middle Eastern cuisine, and her ability to bring thoughtful, innovative dishes to her restaurants.

Read about Chef Mary on The New York Times’ 100 Best NYC Restaurants list

Finally, Shenarri Freeman, also an ICE NYC graduate and Executive Chef at the renowned vegan soul food restaurant Cadence in New York City and Ubuntu in Los Angeles, has been featured on the cover of the August 2024 issue of "Nation’s Restaurant News," a magazine serving the culinary industry.

Chef Shenarri on the cover of "Nation's Restaurant News."

A graduate of ICE's Plant-Based �� Arts program (formerly known as Health-Supportive �� Arts), Chef Shenarri is celebrated for her inventive plant-based renditions of African, Caribbean, and Southern dishes, which have helped position Cadence as a leader in NYC vegan cuisine.

Ubuntu opened in 2023 under Overthrow Hospitality group, the same restaurant group that serves Cadence. The cover story Chef Shenarri is featured in lists the most influential restaurant groups shaping the American culinary scene, one of which is Overthrow Hospitality. Chef Shenarri's creative approach continues to attract diners eager for a soulful, health-conscious dining experience.

Try Chef Shenarri's Recipe: Stuffed Collard Green Wraps

Alumni News Awards and Honors Food TV

Add new comment

Chef Onika Brown's Journey to Pastry

ajohnson — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 02:28:53 +0000

Chef Onika Brown's Journey to Pastry ajohnson Sun, 09/08/2024 - 22:28 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Onika%20Brown%20header.jpeg.webp?itok=Xm4_mDsT September 10, 2024

By Sean Creamer

Though cooking a savory dish and preparing a pastry may require some of the same tools, the processes behind both are usually quite different. Where a savory chef can be creatively liberal, a pastry chef must often work with mathematical precision.

This exacting nature of pastry is what drew Chef Onika Brown, an Institute of �� Education graduate, to the world of baked delights.

Now the executive pastry chef at Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson, located within the Perelman Performing Arts Center in Downtown Manhattan, Chef Onika brings her Caribbean roots to life through her creations. While the restaurant’s kitchen has a French inspiration, chefs at Metropolis are encouraged to infuse their unique flavor backgrounds into their dishes.

“At this stage in my career, I’m focusing more on my culture, especially being part of the Marcus Samuelsson Restaurant Group. Marcus allows me to be myself and express my heritage through my work,” Chef Onika says. “So, if I want to create a Jamaican or West Indian-inspired dessert, influenced by my mom, it’s welcomed and supported. My palate is evolving more towards my comfort zone, moving beyond just French techniques.”

Serving her parents at Metropolis remains one of Chef Onika’s most cherished memories. Cooking and baking have been staples in her life since childhood, growing up in Florida with her family. Her grandmother, who took charge in the kitchen, was a major influence.

“As a child, I was always cooking with my grandmother, aunts, and uncles. My grandmother, who cooked every day for everyone, is the reason I decided to become a chef,” Chef Onika says. “Those gatherings were filled with love, comfort, and a sense of community. Experiencing that from a young age made me realize that I wanted to be part of it when I grew older.”

While she loved to cook, one of Chef Onika’s favorite foods to make while growing up was monkey bread, a soft and sticky pastry that’s sweetened with cinnamon. This breakfast treat became a family favorite at gatherings, leaving lasting memories that inspired her pursuit of a culinary career. Eventually, this led her to enroll at ICE, where she initially focused on savory cuisine.

However, when the curriculum shifted to pastries, Chef Onika fell in love with the precision required in baking. Her instructors emphasized that unlike savory cooking, where adjustments can be made on a whim, pastry demands exact measurements and careful balance.

In pastry, everything needs to add up perfectly, and that challenge made me want to pursue it further.

“With savory dishes, you can adjust by adding more acid, salt, or fat. But in pastry, precision is key—if you add something, you have to subtract something else because it’s like an equation,” Chef Onika says. “In pastry, everything needs to add up perfectly, and that challenge made me want to pursue it further.”

A pivotal moment in her education came when the class made and glazed chocolate cakes. Despite following the same recipe, each cake turned out differently, highlighting the nuances in technique and execution. After her time at ICE, Chef Onika further honed her skills during an internship at Bouchon Bakery in Rockefeller Center.

At Bouchon, a bakery operated by the renowned Chef Thomas Keller, Chef Onika had the opportunity to experiment with modernized French patisserie. The bakery’s extensive display case allowed her to showcase her macaron-making skills.

“We were producing about 6,000 macarons a day, focusing on efficiency and consistency. I love a challenge, so I was determined to perfect it,” Chef Onika says. “I’d start at 5 a.m., making the batter, piping, baking, and filling—all before noon. It was the earliest job I ever had, and mastering those macarons at Bouchon is something I’ll never forget. You never forget your first macaron.”

With fall approaching, Chef Onika is excited to work with seasonal ingredients like persimmon, pumpkin, and spices. She’s currently preparing a special autumn menu at Metropolis that’s still under wraps, so be sure to stop by and check it out if you're in the New York area!

Alumni Pastry Arts �� Arts

Add new comment

How ICE Grad Steven Gao's Daily Life Earned Him 300k Followers

ajohnson — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

How ICE Grad Steven Gao's Daily Life Earned Him 300k Followers ajohnson Tue, 09/03/2024 - 09:00 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Steven%20with%20Chef%20Jason%20Banner.JPG.webp?itok=BcKZn0-0 ICE Chef-Instructor Jason Hawk (left) with ICE graduate Steven Gao (right) September 3, 2024

By Sean Creamer

A recent Institute of �� Education graduate gained over 300,000 Instagram followers in less than a year — simply by posting about his day-to-day life.

From learning how to chop an onion with Gordon Ramsey to exploring NYC’s ramen scene, social media is filled with culinary content. A popular trend, especially on TikTok, is “day-in-the-life” videos, offering an inside look into various professions, including what it takes to become a professional chef.

Steven Gao, known as @StevenMotoCooks on TikTok and Instagram, seized the opportunity when he enrolled at the Institute of �� Education's New York City campus in 2023.

Chef Steven graduated from Rutgers University in 2023 with a degree in computer science/graphic design. When reflecting back on his college experience, Chef Steven realized that his happiest memories were when he was cooking for his friends.

“While I enjoyed my classes, I didn’t want to work in graphic design,” Chef Steven says. “I loved making memories with friends while cooking. Even though I wasn’t a strong cook, I wanted to keep creating those happy moments.”

This desire led him to consider, and then enroll, in culinary school. He joined ICE's �� Arts program for the 2023/2024 term.

Steven Gao (center) and two other ICE graduates at ICE's 2024 commencement ceremony.

Once he started class, Chef Steven quickly realized that the hands-on instructional content was perfect for recording. Many students already take out their phones to document complex cuts and slices, so he decided to take his videos a step further. Drawing from his experience creating volleyball training videos in college, Chef Steven began documenting his culinary school journey with quick cuts and voiceovers to keep viewers engaged.

“I thought it would be interesting to document the whole journey,” Chef Steven says.

His content aimed to introduce people to the world of cooking and provide a glimpse into culinary school life. But the process also helped him learn more, as he reviewed and researched the topics for his videos, reinforcing what he learned in class.

“Depending on the topic, I’d research the history of a technique taught in class to ensure accuracy,” Chef Steven says. “Making the roux videos was particularly fun because I was deepening my understanding, which made the videos more informative.”

One video that did very well was his video on how to prepare different styles of eggs, which ranged from American to French style preparations. Generally, videos about filets, preparing chicken or steaks, and breakfast foods did well. Chef Steven thinks that's because those are ingredients many people cook with daily.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Institute of �� Education (@iceculinary)

As his content evolved, Chef Steven started adding small screen captures of definitions and diagrams, allowing viewers to pause and explore deeper into the material. He also used text overlays to share his thoughts during certain moments, like when he tried a raw roux and had to keep a straight face while the text noted his struggle not to spit it out.

After creating over 100 videos and amassing more than 4.6 million likes on TikTok, Chef Steven has graduated from ICE and now works as a Chef de Partie at three-Michelin-starred restaurant Per Se, a New American and French restaurant created by Chef Thomas Keller.

Chef Steven says balancing his new role with content creation has been challenging, leading him to shift his focus towards longer-form content.

“Now that I’m at Per Se, I spend the whole day working and have less time to edit videos,” he says. “They understandably want me to focus on the work, so I’m working on longer content to educate people on cooking.”

Looking ahead, Chef Steven hopes to immerse himself in professional kitchens and learn the business side of running a restaurant, with the goal of one day opening his own space. In the meantime, he continues to create content about cooking for family and friends, while reflecting on the global impact of his videos.

“I had people from India, China, Africa, and Singapore asking about ICE and the culinary school experience,” Chef Steven says. “It was nice to share what I was learning and provide my insights.”

Alumni Social Media

Add new comment

How Marc Murphy Transformed His �� Passion into Community Impact

ajohnson — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 00:07:41 +0000

How Marc Murphy Transformed His �� Passion into Community Impact ajohnson Thu, 08/22/2024 - 20:07 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Chef%20Marc%20Murphy%20header.jpg.webp?itok=9Z4w6X_R August 22, 2024

By Sean Creamer

As a celebrity chef, Marc Murphy has worn many hats.

He’s a world-renowned cook, the creator of several successful restaurants, and a Food Network TV personality on “Chopped" and “Guy’s Grocery Games.” He's also a graduate of Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, which is now The Institute of �� Education.

When reflecting on what he’s most proud of, Chef Marc thinks about the communities he’s built through cooking.

“The most rewarding thing about having restaurants is realizing you’re providing a place for people to gather and create memories while enjoying good food,” Chef Marc says. “You’re also creating an atmosphere where people can work, make a living and support their families. It’s rewarding to know that you’re part of a community from the perspective of both the guests and the staff.”

This appreciation for cuisine comes from a lifetime spent around good people and good food. Born in Italy and raised in southern France, Chef Marc’s culinary journey began at the dinner table, training his palate from a young age.

“I learned how to eat and eat well; I was always well-fed,” Chef Marc says. “I knew what good food was and what things were supposed to taste like.”

Chef Marc Murphy (far left) with (from left to right) ICE Chairman and Founder Rick Smilow, ICE Vice President of Education Richard Simpson and Chef Daniel Boulud at ICE's 40th anniversary celebration.

Despite his early exposure to great food, Chef Marc didn’t initially aspire to be a chef. He dreamed of becoming a race car driver, but the steep cost of entry to professional racing led him to New York City, seeking his next step in life.

Chef Marc moved to NYC and crashed on his brother’s couch, where he cooked at home often. During the day, he worked as a handyman for friends, but he still felt directionless. Then, his brother made a suggestion that changed his life.

“After a couple of months, my brother asked, ‘Why don’t you go to cooking school? You seem to like to cook,’” Chef Marc says. “So my brother looked into it, and at the time, ICE was called Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School.”

Peter Kump's New York Cooking School is the first iteration of the school that is now known as the Institute of �� Education. Though ICE has grown tremendously since the school's founding in 1975, students are still taught according to Peter Kump's philosophy toward food: study through learning and practicing techniques, not just following recipes.

At the school, Chef Marc enrolled in an intensive three-month program. While he struggled with the written work, the hands-on nature of the classes resonated with him, thanks to his background as a handyman and amateur auto mechanic. Chef Marc fondly remembers learning techniques from his Chef-Instructors in the teaching kitchen and then getting to apply those skills in real life.

“They got me ready to walk into a professional kitchen with confidence, having taught me the basics like searing and glazing," Chef Marc says. "I learned the fundamentals at ICE, which helped me adapt to different kitchens.”

After graduating, Chef Marc worked in restaurants across Italy and France to absorb the culinary scene. But he soon returned to New York, working as a line cook at Terrance Brennan’s Prix Fixe. Using the skills he learned, he worked through every station in the kitchen under acclaimed New York Chef Joseph Fortunato and James Beard Award-winning Chef David Pasternak.

Chef Marc’s experience culminated in the opening of his first restaurant, Landmarc, in Tribeca, where he offered top-tier French and Italian cuisine. He soon expanded with Ditch Plains in the West Village and other Landmarc locations around the city. Concurrently, he made a name for himself as a celebrity chef, frequently appearing as a judge on Food Network’s “Chopped.”

Related: Food TV Tips for Future Chefs

“The TV show appearances helped me fill the seats because people would see me on ‘Chopped,’ and they wanted to go to my restaurants,” Chef Marc says.

However, the greater benefit of his fame, he said, has been raising money for philanthropic causes like City Harvest and the No Kid Hungry campaign. His name recognition also enabled him to become the national spokesperson for Share Our Strength’s Dine Out For No Kid Hungry.

“The greatest moment for me was arriving at a charity event I organized and realizing that 90% of the staff working the event were people from my restaurants,” Chef Marc says. “It was a great moment seeing all my staff, everybody on their day off, working at this event for free, supporting this cause.”

Now, Chef Marc runs MARC179 one weekend a month out of his private events space in Tribeca. The four-course meals are seasonal, with a menu that changes monthly. He works with a rotating cast of servers and chefs, many of whom have collaborated with him on philanthropic events.

“My goal is always to put the best food on the plate,” Chef Marc says. “It’s more about making the ingredients shine than anything else.”

Reflecting on his career, Chef Marc advises anyone wanting to get into the culinary arts to be sure of their path. It requires hard work and dedication, but the payoff is worth it.

Chef Marc Murphy

Alumni New York City Restaurants

Add new comment

Cooking On Tour with Chef Sandra Gajovsky

abaker — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Cooking On Tour with Chef Sandra Gajovsky abaker Mon, 08/12/2024 - 09:00 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/cooking-on-tour-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=heXeYHNa August 12, 2024

By Sean Creamer

When a musician gets off the stage after belting out tunes for two hours, one of the biggest things on their mind is food, according to Sandra Gajovsky, the Institute of �� Education graduate working as the Lead Chef at Dega Catering.

Chef Sandra leads the life of a culinary nomad, cooking across the United States and the world on tour with famous performers like Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift and The Lumineers. Working with a team of expert catering cooks, she puts together multiple meals daily for musicians and the vast support crews needed to keep the music playing every night. But her journey didn’t start with cooking up tapas between taping sessions.

“I never envisioned myself here,” she says. “But now I travel with musicians, feeding them and their staff. You have to have grit in this slice of the industry. Our day can start at 6:30 a.m. and end at 10 p.m. or later, depending on the show and the city the band plays in the next day.”

Chef Sandra did not start her career cooking on the road. After working as a florist, she realized she wanted something more. That’s when she discovered ICE. The �� Arts program at ICE offered plenty of instruction, information and essential training — perfect for Chef Sandra, as a career changer.

“What sticks with me all these years later are the memories of other people like me — people going through a career change,” says Chef Sandra. “There was a lawyer, a teacher, someone running a family business unrelated to cooking, just a lot of different stories all coming together to cook.”

After graduating and completing her externship, Chef Sandra got her first taste of catering-style cooking at a ritzy country club in Northern New Jersey. She split her time between restaurant-style cuisine and catered buffets for banquets, golf outings, baptisms, weddings and graduations. However, the seasonal nature of golf courses in the Northeast meant a slow winter season, so Chef Sandra moved to Nashville.

Related: What is an Externship?

After working in the restaurant scene in Music City for a few years, she found a role at TomKats Hospitality, a Nashville staple for event and on-location catering. She fell in love with the work but wanted to take her career to a new level. After speaking to a friend who worked in marketing and production for the Warped Tour, she learned about her dream job.

“‘You know what you’d be awesome at? Tour catering,’” Chef Sandra recalls her friend saying. “Cooking food for artists, bands and the crew! As a big music fan, this was a great way to merge two worlds.”

Soon after, Chef Sandra discovered Dega Catering and began a two-year endeavor to get on the company's radar. She got her lucky break with the Country Music Awards, where they needed another set of helping hands to feed 300 to 400 people a day. With a contract secured, she proved her worth by working local events and filling in for people out on tours. Soon, Chef Sandra worked on her first tour with the Zac Brown Band.

“People on the road love their comfort food,” Chef Sandra says of the band’s favorite dishes. “They enjoy simple, home-style meals.”

More ICE Alumni in Catering: Cooking in the Catering World with Chef Hope Glendon

Her tour days begin with local runners in each city shopping for fresh ingredients while her crew sets up the mobile kitchen. Breakfast is served buffet-style, followed by lunch, which is prepared during the artist's soundcheck. The crew and band grab a quick bite of dinner before the show, and then the traveling kitchen usually starts breaking down around 10 p.m. Chef Sandra always has a plate or two of food ready to warm up in case of late-night munchies.

“We won’t cook up a meal in the middle of the night, so no midnight grilled cheese sandwiches,” she says. “But we always have a little after-show meal ready for the artists and crew.”

Life moves fast when you're cooking for performers like the Foo Fighters. But between tours, Chef Sandra found time to compete in season 22 of Hell’s Kitchen. The experience was challenging, as she found not only her cooking scrutinized, but also her social interactions.

“The psychology of the show was wild — you’ve got all the stress of the kitchen in a pressure cooker social experience where you’re prepping meals with 17 other cooks you’ve never worked with,” she says. “They even take notes of your facial expressions to ask what you were thinking about in the confessionals!”

Though being on the road is a way of life for Chef Sandra, she eventually plans to open a gothic-themed bakery. Until then, the Chef Sandra Gajovsky International Tour continues.

For those thinking of getting into culinary arts, Chef Sandra has crucial advice.

“Put your head down and work your butt off," she says. "Be a reliable employee and do the best job you can do. Other people will see the value in you, your work and your ethics.”

More Alumni Stories

Alumni �� Arts Career Changer Career

Add new comment

From Counseling to Confections: Chef Rebecca Shuster’s Sweet Journey

ajohnson — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 00:30:59 +0000

From Counseling to Confections: Chef Rebecca Shuster’s Sweet Journey ajohnson Fri, 08/02/2024 - 20:30 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Rebecca-Shuster-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=RzY5D13H Courtesy: Erin Usawicz August 5, 2024

By Sean Creamer

Caring for your mental needs sometimes requires a change of pace, like baking a new type of pie or walking to the new pastry shop in town. But for some, depression is more dark and profound.

Chef Rebecca Shuster aimed to help struggling people through her career as a counseling psychologist. After earning her master's degree, Chef Rebecca began working with troubled teens who experienced extreme depression.

"One of the things I had trouble with was working with adolescents, and I worried about them. That was the hard part of the field," Chef Rebecca says. "I couldn't leave it there and go home and relax; I always worried about the kids."

As a mother herself, the stress of the work, combined with additional personal challenges, pushed Chef Rebecca to find a profession she could excel in that also allowed her to support herself. This period of soul-searching brought Chef Rebecca back to one of her favorite passions: baking.

Courtesy: Erin Usawicz

"My great-grandmother baked, my grandma baked and my mother baked with me," Chef Rebecca says. "So I've always been into baking as a hobby."

She got a job at a local bakery in New Jersey and fell in love with the craft all over again. Early mornings prepping the day's pastries spoke to Chef Rebecca, who realized she wanted to dive further into the career — but on her terms.

The realization that she could start her own business inspired her to enhance the baking skills she learned from her mother and grandmother. When Chef Rebecca began researching culinary schools, the Institute of �� Education became her leading choice. The school had an esteemed reputation, and as a New Jersey resident, she found it easy to commute to lower Manhattan. Most importantly, the school offered a Pastry & Baking Arts diploma.

"I wanted to learn more technical baking skills. I learned things like laminating doughs, the chemistry around yeast products and bread and generally gained confidence with pastry," Chef Rebecca says. "The hands-on classes helped me learn more about decorating cakes and cookies, among other things."

The work was hard, but the effort paid off. In 2021, Chef Rebecca earned her diploma and began assembling the building blocks to open her bakery. Before attending ICE, she envisioned selling baked goods from her home.

A friend involved in a pie-of-the-month club for several years was a big motivator. He supported her efforts as she built her brand from home. The first step was getting a cottage operator's permit in New Jersey.

"I wanted to call my business Farmhouse Sweets and bake out of the old farmhouse I live in, which was built in 1829," says Chef Rebecca. "However, it has a small kitchen, and I have shelves of stuff I can't wait to bring to my new bakery's kitchen."

Beyond the small quarters, Chef Rebecca's other issue was that she could not sell decorated cakes. She could not make key lime, lemon meringue pies or any finished product that needed refrigeration. But she did not let this get in the way of her dream.

Chef Rebecca is now building the brick-and-mortar iteration of Farmhouse Sweets, slated to open in the fall of 2024. The location is just outside of Downtown Hackettstown, in a quaint shopping center near Route 80 with a red-brick walkway that harkens back to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.

The inspiration for the name came from her love of the rustic side of New Jersey, and her logo is "Pastries with a Rustic Twist." But don't expect to find ancient furniture and appliances here. Chef Rebecca plans to outfit the interior with a sleek, modern look with quaint accents.

The future is exciting for Chef Rebecca, who wants to host decorating and other classes out of her space. She looks back fondly on her time at ICE.

"I never thought I'd have my own spot. But having the confidence to know I can make a good product helped me so much, and a lot of that came from ICE," she says.

Alumni Pastry Arts Baking Arts

Add new comment

Cooking in the Catering World with Chef Hope Glendon

abaker — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 16:32:35 +0000

Cooking in the Catering World with Chef Hope Glendon abaker Mon, 07/15/2024 - 12:32 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Hope%20Glendon%20Headshot-HERO.jpg.webp?itok=U8_dTMjT July 25, 2024

By Sean Creamer

Chef Hope Glendon keeps as busy as the bustling city she calls home. From flambé cooking at swanky private residences to organizing events taking over Randall’s Island, she’s mastering the art of catering in the Big Apple.

As a graduate of the Institute of �� Education’s �� Arts program in 2015, Chef Hope knew she wanted more flexibility than the life of a sous chef allows.

“Most people start in restaurants, but the idea of working with the same food, at the same station and in the same place for years just wasn’t appealing,” Chef Hope says. “But catering provided an outlet to cook new meals in new places daily.”

An externship placement through ICE with Oliver Cheng Catering and Events allowed Chef Hope to see her cooking career in a new light. The experience exposed her to the world of catering high-profile events, giving her new settings, dishes and event themes to prepare for.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Great Performances (@gpfood)

She is now an Event Chef for Great Performances, one of the largest caterers in New York City. Founded by Liz Nuemark in the 1980s, Great Performances prepares diplomatic dinners, feeds corporate conferences and serves meals for festive graduation celebrations.

While Chef Hope fell in love with the changing scenes, menus and clients, she soon learned that she had to advocate for herself if she wanted more work.

“Being assertive is key for freelance catering,” Chef Hope says. “I had to ask if I could pick up pack-out shifts in the kitchen, which raised my standing with the team. That built trust and helped me land work with bigger clients.”

Though she is currently preparing meals for dignitaries and celebrities, Chef Hope’s culinary journey sprouted from humble roots.

“I’ve always been interested in cooking,” she says. “My parents tell stories of me pulling up my little step stool at three years old and cooking Top Ramen all by myself.”

Soon, she was cooking complex dishes and baked delights. Her tiramisu was a legendary party dessert among her friend group.

As Chef Hope prepared for college, her encyclopedic recipe knowledge translated well into her educational pursuit as she enrolled in the Forensic Chemistry program at the University of New Haven.

While she loved the nuances of formulas, the monotonous day-in and day-out of working in a lab did not appeal to her. So, after graduating, she began working as a nanny on the Upper West Side to stay grounded while taking time to plan her next career move.

One day, while waiting for the kids to get home from school, Chef Hope realized she could use her spare time to return to the cutting board.

“Since I didn’t have to watch the kids in the morning, I began taking recreational classes at the Institute of �� Education,” she says. “The classes reignited my passion for cooking, which made me think I could turn this love into a career.”

Once her mind was set, Chef Hope went to ICE's admissions team and signed up for the �� Arts career program's 2014/15 semester. Once Chef Hope completed her interview and tried on her ICE uniform jacket, she enrolled. She says she immediately began learning new tricks.

“Going to ICE gave me more confidence in the kitchen,” Chef Hope says. “I had always watched Food Network, found a recipe and strictly followed the instructions. But I learned that cooking is more about having the basic skills and using them to influence your take on a recipe so you don’t have to eat anything you don’t want to.”

Related: Is �� School Worth It?

As a picky eater, these skills helped her mix and match ingredients to swap proteins and seasonings to fit her favorite flavor profiles. This solid foundation also comes in handy when Chef Hope has to swap ingredients out of a dish due to allergy concerns at her work.

Patience was another important skill Chef Hope picked up at ICE that carried into her career. As an event chef at Great Performances, staying calm while managing a situation is crucial, especially when Chef Hope works with large teams of people to bring a client’s dream event to life.

At Great Performances’ kitchen in the Bronx, cooks partially prepare the ingredients for all events. Then, on-site, event chefs and their teams produce a successful event, often without a commercial kitchen or oven.

The excitement never ends, as Great Performances recently partnered with Momofuku to serve their dishes at special catering stations. The company is also committed to working sustainably, sourcing ingredients from Hudson Valley farms like Katchkie Farm, which Great Performances owns.

Chef Hope's journey took her through multiple different roles, which allowed to her find where she really wanted to be. She encourages new chefs to have a similarly open mind when heading into the workforce.

“Don’t be scared [of] trying out multiple spots," she says. "The first place you land doesn’t have to be where you work forever.”

Meet more ICE graduates from across the culinary industry

Alumni Institute of �� Education �� Arts

Sean Creamer

ICE Graduates in the News: September 2024

Add new comment

Chef Onika Brown's Journey to Pastry

Add new comment

How ICE Grad Steven Gao's Daily Life Earned Him 300k Followers

Add new comment

How Marc Murphy Transformed His �������� Passion into Community Impact

Add new comment

Cooking On Tour with Chef Sandra Gajovsky

Add new comment

From Counseling to Confections: Chef Rebecca Shuster’s Sweet Journey

Add new comment

Cooking in the Catering World with Chef Hope Glendon

Add new comment

How Marc Murphy Transformed His �� Passion into Community Impact