The Institute of Culinary Education Honors 2025 Graduating Class in Milestone Ceremony in New York City, Celebrating 50 Years of Culinary Excellence

NEW YORK, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) will honor the next generation of culinary professionals at two New York City campus commencements on June 24, 2025, at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. The ceremonies celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2025 with inspiring speeches from acclaimed industry leaders.

This year's featured commencement speakers include Jacques Torres, world-renowned pastry chef, chocolatier, entrepreneur, TV personality and author; and ICE alumna Missy Robbins, award-winning co-founder of Grovehouse Hospitality and the chef-owner of Lilia, Misi and more. Both ceremonies will also feature Samuel Caucci, sous chef at two-Michelin-starred SAGA, as alumni speaker.

"Our graduates are at the heart of ICE's mission," said Rick Smilow, CEO of ICE. "They've shown determination, creativity and passion, and we're thrilled to mark this achievement with speakers who represent what's possible in this field."

This year's commencement ceremonies are part of a larger milestone as ICE celebrates its 50th anniversary—a legacy reflected in the achievements of its alumni, faculty and growing list of programs.

Just this year, eleven restaurants with ICE alumni at the helm were recognized on the New York Times' 2025 list of "The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City," including Lilia where ICE alum and keynote speaker Missy Robbins is the chef/owner. The acknowledgment reflects ICE's decades-long impact on the city's dynamic dining scene and the connections ICE has to top restaurants across the city. These distinguished alumni frequently come to ICE's New York campus for demonstrations and speaking events, and actively recruit ICE graduates. The ten chefs and culinary entrepreneurs whose restaurants earned a spot on the list were also recognized as distinguished alumni by ICE as part of the school's 50th anniversary celebration. The feature highlighted:

• Bungalow – Sameer Bhatt, General Manager/Partner
• Frenchette and Le Veau d'Or – Michelle Palazzo, Executive Pastry Chef
• Gage & Tollner – Sohui Kim, Chef/Partner
• Le Bernardin – Orlando Soto, Executive Pastry Chef
• Lilia – Missy Robbins, Chef/Owner
• Lola's – Suzanne Cupps, Chef/Owner
• Raf's – Mary Attea, Chef/Partner
• Shukette – Ayesha Nurdjaja, Executive Chef/Partner
• Thai Diner – Ann Redding, Chef/Co-Owner
• Yoon Haeundae Galbi – Ju Sung "Bobby" Yoon, Founder/Owner

"As we celebrate five decades of culinary education, we're not only reflecting on the past — we're investing in what's next," said Barry Tonkinson, Senior Vice President of Education at ICE. "From expanded course offerings to industry partnerships and other initiatives, ICE remains committed to preparing students for success in every corner of the food and hospitality world."

About the Institute of Culinary Education
The award-winning Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) was established in 1975 and has since grown to be one of America's leading centers for culinary education. With campuses in New York City and Los Angeles, and robust online programs, the school was ranked by USA Today as the "#1 Culinary School in America" in 2019. ICE provides comprehensive education in Culinary Arts, Pastry & Baking Arts, Plant-Based Culinary Arts, Restaurant & Culinary Management, and Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Management. These intensive career-training programs can be completed in as little as eight months to jump-start a career in the industry. ICE also offers a vast menu of recreational courses for the public and hosts industry and private events. ICE continues to grow and evolve; within the last decade, ICE launched its LA campus and acquired both the Natural Gourmet Institute and French Culinary Institute (International Culinary Center). For more information, visit our website at ice.edu or connect with us at @iceculinary on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook.

CONTACT:
Stephanie Fraiman
Institute of Culinary Education
(212) 847-0703
[email protected]

SOURCE The Institute of Culinary Education