New York, NY. April 21, 2008. The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE®) won the 2008 IACP Award of Excellence in
the Vocational Cooking School category at the International Association of Culinary Professionals Awards held on
Friday, April 18th in New Orleans, LA – a highlight of the IACP’s week-long “Rhythm on the Plate” Conference. The
other finalists in the category included Sullivan University System of Louisville, KY and The French Culinary Institute of
New York, NY.
“In the food world, this distinction is the closest thing to a ‘school of the year’ award,” said ICE President, Rick Smilow,
adding, “I feel like we won an Oscar.” Judging for the award was accomplished by a six-member committee of industry
peers who evaluated and scored each entry.
The IACP Awards of Excellence are presented annually to honor members whose outstanding achievements and
unending pursuit of excellence embody the highest standards of the association.
Accepting the award from incoming IACP president, Cathy Cochran-Lewis, Smilow went on to say, “There are over 100
people who make our school run seven days a week, almost around the clock – from our chef-instructors and
administration teams to our purchasing and maintenance departments. This award is shared by this team of people and
speaks to their unwavering dedication to our students.”
The 2008 Award of Excellence for ICE’s professional education program is the latest in a series of accolades ICE has
received. Earlier this year, Saveur magazine included ICE in its “Saveur 100” list. In 2006, ICE was one of three schools
cited by New York Restaurant Insider magazine as one of “America’s Top Three Culinary Schools.” And also in 2006, the
school’s accrediting agency, The ACCSCT recognized ICE as a “School of Distinction.”
About ICE:
Founded in 1975 by Peter Kump, The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) offers comprehensive career training
programs in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts and Culinary Management. With an in-depth, global curriculum,
dedicated chef-instructors, a strong record in externships and placements and a clear entrepreneurial focus, ICE is widely
recognized by top industry organizations as a premier pathway to begin or continue a culinary career. In addition, ICE
offers over 1,500 hands-on recreational cooking, baking and wine education courses to over 26,000 students, as well as
hundreds of special events for corporations, individuals and the press each year. ICE is located at 50 W. 23rd Street in
New York City. For more information, please visit www.iceculinary.com.
About IACP:
Founded in 1978, the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) serves as a resource and support
system for food professionals worldwide. Its 4,000 members represent a “who’s who” in the world of food and include
cooking teachers and cooking school owners; caterers, chefs and restaurateurs; food writers and cookbook authors;
editors and publishers; food stylists and photographers; vintners; television personalities; recipe developers and test
kitchen personnel; public relations and marketing professionals; and many others with a special interest in the
culinary arts.
