Institute of Culinary Education

I enrolled in a 9-course, asynchronous, online Restaurant & Culinary Management program offered through ICE’s CA location. The application process was bumpy so I knew I did not want to commit to giving this establishment all of my money up front and opted to make 13 payments. The 1st course Concept Development & Menu Design was great. The material was relevant and informative, and the teacher seemed to be present and involved. As the courses went on and I began to e-mail the teacher for support with exam and project questions, she became unresponsive. I work a full time job where I have to travel in addition to this program and there were times I had to rush to get assignments completed because she would not respond for days or weeks. A couple of times I had to get the counselor involved, Gabriela Arzate and email her to email to the teacher to finally get the teacher to respond. I honestly think the teacher was being overworked and overwhelmed so I don’t hold it against her. Personal thank you to Gabriela because she seemed to be the only one in that whole place who was actually checking her e-mails, doing her job, and responding. Another example, there was a fast track course that was condensed into 4 weeks and they didn’t supply me with a book until we were into week 2 and going into week 3. Again, I had e-mailed the teacher, no response. Followed up, no response. Finally reached out to Gabriela and she got people involved to help me. This was a very stressful time for me to try to catch up while working my job. In addition to me not really having a teacher and avoiding asking further questions because I knew it would be a hassle, the courses became irrelevant and didn’t correspond with current texts we were reading. The material and discussion questions were not engaging. I was reaching out to the teacher again for support in a course, and I kept getting ignored and I finally got so tired of it that I said I would not pay another penny until I received some assistance and my issues were resolved. Only then did I finally get the attention of multiple people including the National Director of Career Services. Funny how that works; when they’re not getting their money, now all of a sudden they’re concerned. I spoke with multiple people and re-told my story over and over again (so frustrating) and provided all of my e-mail proof and receipts of the lack of service and how some of the courses were poor quality and misaligned and requested a discount on my tuition. They refused to compromise with me. I notified the school and stopped taking the program after course 6, and did not partake in 7,8, or 9. I paid 78% of my tuition and only completed 66% of my course work. I refused to pay the remainder of my tuition because what I signed up for and paid for was an online course that was supposed to have a responsive and supportive teacher and relevant coursework, and I did not get that. They sent me to collections even though I did not attend the last 3 courses. Why should I have to pay for something that A. I did not fully complete because of B. poor service and poor quality. Seems very unfair from ICE, and I would not recommend attending this school online.

I completed the Baking & Pastry and Management program at the ICE campus in Pasadena, CA, and honestly, I wouldn’t recommend this school, at least not the one in California. The Baking & Pastry instructors were pretty hit or miss, and overall not great teachers. It felt like they cared more about us finishing quickly than actually doing things the right way. When something went wrong, they often wouldn’t explain what happened or how to fix it, which left students, including myself, confused and frustrated. Unless you could attend make-up sessions for extra practice, you were basically on your own. I don’t regret going to culinary school overall, it was a fun experience, but it wasn’t until after graduating that I realized how little I had actually retained. The curriculum moved extremely fast, and the poor teaching didn’t help. If you’re looking to truly broaden your knowledge, I’d recommend the ICE NYC location or considering another school altogether.

I recently completed the 6 week Wine Essentials class with instructor Paul Sherman and really can’t say enough good things about the experience. Paul struck the incredible balance of being both thorough and entertaining while covering vast swaths of information in a relatively short period of time. Each class featured 8 excellent wines for us to taste and talk through - which Paul sourced through his personal connections. The tastings were also accompanied by charcuterie boards. This class might just be the best value in the world of food and drink…and you’ll learn something!!!

I applied to this school. When I received a call from my advisor, Tammy Polanco, I was very excited. I had tried reaching out to her several times, but she was busy with other students, which is understandable. Due to my zeal to attend the school, I called the main office in hopes of getting some answers. I ended up speaking with Jeff Haines, who was able to answer all my questions. After my talk with Jeff, I received an email by mistake that was a conversation between Jeff and Tammy discussing me. Jeff had emailed Tammy that I tried calling her "50 times lol," and Tammy replied, "So he was too busy to be transferred? Lol." I felt that the whole application process was unprofessional. My excitement to attend ICE was significantly diminished. However, after I emailed the main Director of Admissions, Gabriela Arzate, she was very helpful and apologized for their behavior. She personally handled most of my questions and sent me all the information I needed to apply.

Just received a notice from this school that my social security number was stolen in a data breach

I would be VERY clear about how you plan to pay your tuition, because we were basically tricked into taking a loan somehow? Even though we explicitly stated we wanted to pay off the cost ourselves in two payments + help from the grant that I was eligible for. I even said "okay, i'm not signing anything that involves taking out a loan right?" and was told no- The bursar was in agreement that we could pay with two checks and get the amount of money off the total from the grant paying for the rest. We also had an issue with the total coming out to be different than what was initially given to us on paper, so they made us overpay the 2nd half of the tuition payment AND then after I graduated they claimed I owed them money still... It just isn't a good look when you're lying to your students and preying on them when their family is putting forward no paltry amount of money to even enroll. Be wary of instructors who don't notice in-class bullying between students, also. You pretty much have to handle stuff on your own. Don't be afraid to switch classes if people are ignoring you and refuse to work in groups.

We have just enrolled and Mike Acuna was amazing! We called at 8pm and he picked up, answered all of our questions. The curriculum is impressive. So excited !

I applied for this Institute not too long ago and I found it extremely unprofessional how they handled my application process. Not only did they stopped replying after I emailed them for more assistance but they wanted me to apply again and pay another application fee after I just applied. Terrible service.

Bad service. I registered for the wrong class by mistake and spent a week trying to contact them through email and their phone number (left a voicemail) with no response. Yes I gave them my money and now I can't even get a response. This is ridiculous and I will definitely recommend not getting entangled with this place. STAY AWAY.

Cool presentation. Left early because the chick in front of me kept flipping and flipping her hair all the around, I don't know what she sprayed on it ,but my allergies kicked off right away. I politely slipped out because my nose kept acting up. And also 30,000 is a bit too pricey for this short term program.

TERRIBLE TERRIBLE SCHOOL. Money hungry. How does attending this school for less than a year equate to the cost of obtaining a bachelors degree? Plus their instructors are extremely unprofessional. Unprepared and falling asleep during THEIR instruction. To top it all off their business classes requires in person attendance for topics i could learn about in my sleep. It's one thing if instruction is useful, but it's another for it to be busy work and common sense.

Been going here since October 31 and I love ! Everyday I'm learning something and it's amazing. Great knowledgeable teachers and staff, they care about food and you can see it. All teachers are different which is good because as students we want to learn every single way. Very clean building. Fresh and delicious ingredients. It's a year program either for night class which is 3 nights 6-10 Or day class for 5 days. There's a parking structure but if not should have parking all around building. Never been happier going here :)

If your passion is cooking/ baking this is the school for you! I moved 3 hours away from home & it was the best decision ever!! Chef Guillard & Chef Chapman are THE BEST pastry & baking instructors ever! My favorite part was that the class wasn't over crowded so you get one on one time with your Chef. You can feel the love for their students & the industry the moment you meet them. Everyone on campus from instructors (both culinary & baking), to careers adviser Rebecca, to Jesus in receiving to the president of the school Chef Sands are all AMAZING!! You need something ask any of them & they are always there to help! They all hold a special place in my heart! So if you have the love & passion for the industry GO FOR IT!! much love to my ICE family 2nd Pastry & Baking class '18

I attended ICE and completed both the Culinary Arts and Restaurant & Culinary Management programs; both of which were excellent. The staff, professors and community at ICE is one of a kind. Everyone offers a wealth of knowledge and the Career Services team makes it a priority to help you land the culinary externship of your dreams. Having changed careers and having had zero previous culinary experience, ICE equipped me with all of the necessary tools and discipline to succeed in the field. Beyond thankful for having been able to gain so much knowledge from the courses, events and resources ICE offered its students!

Went here for the baking program and so not worth 36k. The teachers are very rude and choose favorites and become rude when asked questions I got a towel thrown at me once by a teacher because I had left it on the table and not my waist. Overall you can learn and gain more experience working in an actual kitchen and growing from there then attending ICE

ICE is a great institution with amazing instructors that prioritizes student success! I highly recommend that potential students enroll for a dual degree. The CMD courses review the hospitality and business side of the industry that is often missed in culinary or pastry degrees alone. The most essential and valuable component of ICE is Career Services. Rebecca and Mallory really go out of their way to ensure student success during their externship and after graduation. Big shoutout to Chef Cyril and CMD instructor Andre for their guidance in and out of the classroom! Definitely proud to be alumnus of ICE.

My time at ICE was undoubtedly the best year of my life. Having the opportunity to learn and observe chefs of the highest order was something I'll cherish for a lifetime. I remember spending 2 hours in traffic just to make it there every morning and loving every second of it. The faculty is caring, professional, and hands on. The curriculum was thorough and creative. The food was always fresh and manipulated in the most refined manner. I am eternally grateful for those that poured into me while attending, and now through these uncertain times their support has continued to amaze me! P.S. we love and miss you Pergl

I never write reviews but this time it's really worth it. I have been a culinary student last year and it has been a life changing experience for me. The campus staff and teachers are great at building a connection with you and you will get a lot of one on one teaching as they keep the classrooms small. This, together with the speakers and the opportunity to go back anytime to repeat the classes you liked the most made it totally worth it. The school has been very good also at facilitating to get in the culinary industry and they were always there to help when needed. Last but not least, the other fellow students were all nice creating a small but friendly and creative community!

Going to this school has been the highlight of my dreams. The teaching system is very inclusive and informative. By far the best decision I made was to attend here.

Before becoming a culinary student, I was looking for an opportunity to become the best chef I could be. As an alumni, ICE delivered an education that left little to be desired. The faculty cherishes every student. The facilities are top notch. And, last but not least, the network of support gained from an education here can open any door in the industry that you can imagine. If you are contemplating taking the jump into the industry or if you're already in the industry but looking to broaden your horizons, this is the place to go. The place where you can create opportunities to write your story and live your dream.

My experience at ICE was one that in no uncertain terms completely changed my life. In less that a year the instruction I received propelled me from zero professional culinary experience to accepting a position at a 3-Michelin starred restaurant. I am also deeply grateful to have acquired multiple mentors through the ICE educational team that I know will continue to support me throughout my culinary career. Could not more highly recommend this program!

Just save your money I went to school for culinary and it was the worse experience the chefs think they can scream at you and disrespect you for no reason but Don't let yourself!! You could learn everything they show you at a restraunt don't waste your money 35k down the drain

I started 2 studies here in March of 2019. The Culinary Arts program and the Restaurant and Food Management program. I am a career changer coming from a fortune 500 company where I was in senior leadership for 21 years. From the admissions team, financial team, educators, chefs, job placement team and senior leadership I have nothing but the best to say about the ICE organization. The educators and chefs bring real world training to your course study, curriculum and technical culinary training/experience. You will receive all of this from a diverse staff of men and women from all over the world. Their professional back ground is a who's who of hospitality, restaurant and culinary skills and abilities from all over the globe. I found the positioning of the staffs individual talents has been layered into the class curriculum paying benefit to your development throughout the modules. The ratio of students to educators was perfect. Class size for me in both studies were always great yielding time to always interact with the teachers and chefs. Guest speakers are happening weekly at ICE. Top restaurant owners, chefs and hospitality leaders from all over the LA area and US are providing insight and telling their stories in support of your education and path. One of the key reasons I choose ICE was for its reputation in the networking of industry and its alumni. I see this day in and day out at school, in job placement, the industry and throughout social media sights like Instagram. I have not been in the restaurant/kitchen space since the 1980's, allot has changed since then. The physical kitchen/lab space and facility you will be trained in is amazing at ICE. You will be eligible to take additional classes and studies after hours that will reinforce your knowledge and skills. You will also find an amazing library as well. I can tell you that ICE has delivered on everything they have stated they would to me in the education and value I have received. Having 2 children that are both in their late 20's I wouldn't hesitate to refer them to ICE based upon the experience I have received. Parents should feel confident in the education their children will receive here. I am returning for my third round of studies in a couple weeks, Baking and Pastry!

school was ass i barely learned anything made yoh go to tutoring without proper instruction. i couldnt get a handle on a lot over there and it felt like they were playing favorites the whole time i didnt really enjoy wasting 10k the school just basically swiped me from plan a to z

I attended the school "wayback when" as an avocation and loved it! A fun and educational experience. I still use the skills I learned then, now, although my younger son Matt is a better cook than me!