Laura Denby

Making the Most of Your Externship

ohoadmin — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 16:51:46 +0000

Making the Most of Your Externship ohoadmin Wed, 07/15/2015 - 12:51 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Jade-Kitchen-Culinary-Class_July-2015_72dpi-9_1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=79kdleD2 July 15, 2015

By Laura Denby

After months of hands-on lessons in ICE’s kitchens, my classmates and I were reaching the culmination of our education: the completion of an externship of our choosing. In preparation for this real-world experience, my classmates and I had spent months researching different restaurants or culinary businesses and trailing. Yet even with the most extensive research, the externship itself can often be very different than expected.

As a public relations professional with a passion for cooking, I chose to pursue an externship in the field of food media at Tasting Table. My goal was to hone my skills in the kitchen while learning the ins and outs of recipe testing and writing. As an extern, my role is to contribute recipe ideas, assist in recipe testing and work alongside the full-time staff on the execution of menus for private parties and Tasting Table partnership events. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work in a professional culinary environment where I learn new things every day and, after about a month on the job, I wanted to share three of the most important lessons I've learned so far about transitioning from the classroom to an externship site.

Don't Get Sloppy: No matter how relaxed your externship site may seem, don't get too comfortable. Work clean, bring your Sharpie and notebook and be as prepared and professional as you were when taking your final practical exam at ICE. Keep a clean workstation and stay organized.

Network: The NYC food scene is a small one. Most cooks that you work with will have experience at three or four other local restaurants (at least!) and have a vast network of culinary connections, so take advantage of them. Don’t hesitate to ask questions of the other cooks and learn as much as you can from their experiences.

Be Flexible: Every chef is different. At Tasting Table, I've had the opportunity to work with a variety of different visiting chefs, and I can attest that each has their own style, opinion, and attitude. Follow your chef's lead, and ask questions if something is unclear. Their style will most likely differ from what you learned in school, but paying attention to the nuances of each cook's technique is a great learning experience. Overall, the main thing I've learned is that professionalism and discipline speak volumes in the kitchen—just like in any workplace. Even if you aren't the most experienced cook on the line, volunteer for tasks and show the chefs that you are dedicated to working hard and improving yourself. Real-world kitchens will be more intense than the classroom, and there won't be anyone there to make sure you don’t screw up. Ultimately, the most valuable takeaway from culinary school is the ability to learn new techniques and adapt faster than you would have without prior culinary training. So work hard, stay focused and most of all, have fun!

To learn more about externships at ICE, click here.

Students Culinary Student Externship

How to Choose Your Externship Site

ohoadmin — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 22:36:42 +0000

How to Choose Your Externship Site ohoadmin Wed, 06/17/2015 - 18:36 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/IMG_1741.jpg.webp?itok=yvTYzAL9 Life as a Culinary Student June 17, 2015

By Laura Denby

As a culinary student with a graduation date looming in the not-too-distant future, securing my externship has recently been at the forefront of my mind. Luckily, I was able to secure a placement at Tasting Table—an amazing food media outlet—that I cannot wait to start. However, making that choice wasn’t easy.

With so many different culinary career options, picking an externship site that fit my personal goals, schedule and experience level was an arduous task. Below are some tips that I learned along the way:

Do Your Homework

If you’re looking for an externship in restaurants, for example, research different restaurants, chefs and styles of food. Visit restaurants that you’re interested in and sample some of the menu items. By taking time to understand the chef’s style and perspective, you’ll get a better understanding of the restaurant as a work environment.

Use Your Resources

The chef instructors at ICE have worked at some of the best restaurants in the country and know the ins and outs of NYC's most prestigious culinary employers. Who better to ask for advice than the people who know the industry best?

Trail, Trail, Trail

There’s no better way to determine if an externship site is a good fit for you than to spend a day in their kitchen. Especially if you're just starting out in the industry, trailing is a unique way to network and test your skills. Observe, listen and taste everything. Work hard and be prepared. Even if you aren't looking for an externship, trailing at a company you admire is an invaluable way to gain insight into the different ways professional kitchens and other culinary businesses are run.

Challenge Yourself

Just because an externship site feels comfortable doesn't mean it’s a good fit. The purpose of an externship is to hone your skills in a professional environment and experience the culinary world outside the classroom. Push yourself. Aim for the most prestigious placement you can get and learn to operate at their level of professionalism.

In the end, only you can determine whether an externship site is a good fit. Take time to understand exactly what you're looking for and focus on sites that meet your criteria. Strive for the most ambitious placement you can get, but make sure you are deeply interested and willing to work in that environment—don’t just work for a famous chef or hospitality group so that you can put the name on your resume.

Take my experience as an example: if you follow the steps described, you are bound to find an externship that is as fulfilling and rewarding as the months you spent in the classroom at ICE.

Click here to learn more about ICE’s externship program.

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Social Media for Culinary Professionals

ohoadmin — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 16:13:42 +0000

Social Media for Culinary Professionals ohoadmin Wed, 04/22/2015 - 12:13 How to Build Your Brand April 22, 2015

By Laura Denby

Social networking is arguably the most important marketing tool of the last decade, and is undoubtedly most useful for entrepreneurs. Specifically in the food industry, small business owners have the unique benefit of sharing visual content directly with customers through their social channels. Harnessing these platforms is one of the most efficient ways to grow brand recognition, brand value and drive web traffic.

Photo Credit: Peter Rasmussen

This month I had the pleasure of attending a seminar at ICE called “Social Media in the Culinary Realm,” taught by the very talented Lori Greene, director of content for Maxus Global, through ICE’s School of Professional Development. Lori explained that, in the digital age, people get information from their community and a sense of community from their information. From there, she covered actionable ways that culinary entrepreneurs and small business owners can start using social media to grow their brand:

Determine your purpose

First and foremost, it’s essential to have an understanding of the differences between the leading social media platforms and more importantly, how you want your brand to be portrayed in the social sphere. For example, are you a witty one-liner type or a more reserved industry tastemaker? Determine your voice and what your message should be. Then ask yourself repeatedly, “Why should people follow me?,” and create content that serves that purpose.

Identify a Target Audience

As a young culinary brand, your job is to build a community of engaged followers (a strategically targeted audience) that is loyal and interested in your brand. They choose to follow you and genuinely care about what you have to say. Trying to serve everyone means you’ll end up serving no one, so pinpoint your target audience and cater content to their interests.

Create an Identity

Be consistent. Create logos, backgrounds and images that all point to the same message. Be the face of your brand and create a deeper meaning for your product, so that followers can see the benefits of your brand brought to life. Offer exclusive news or offers, and engage readers with original content. By creating personal relationships, you can connect with customers in a way that is natural and influential than unwanted advertisements or promotions.

Grow Your Followers, Grow Your Brand

Be a curator of food news, photos and events. Promote your social channels and post frequently. By sharing information—rather than promoting or “selling” your business—you create a community of followers who trust your opinion and will look to you as an expert in food and drink. Take advantage of topics that are already trending and join the conversation.

A student practices food photography at a recent ICE food styling class.

If you’re a student looking to start a blog, open a business or develop your personal brand, I highly suggest taking advantage of these kind of seminars with industry experts at ICE!

What’s more, you don’t have to wait to graduate to get started on social media. Post photos of the dishes you make in class or tweet links to your favorite recipes. (Tag @iceculinary on Twitter or Instagram, and you might even get a retweet or regram!) Take advantage of the constant flow of culinary content at your disposal and start marketing yourself now. Happy networking!

For more food media classes at ICE, click here.

Food Media Business of Food Food Culture

Choose Your Own Path

ohoadmin — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 20:50:20 +0000

Choose Your Own Path ohoadmin Wed, 03/18/2015 - 16:50 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Rec-Knife-Skills-011.jpg.webp?itok=A4d_h59W Life as a Culinary Student March 18, 2015

By Laura Denby

Hi fellow foodies! I’m Laura, a media professional and current Culinary Arts student. Working full-time during the day while pursuing a life in the kitchen at night is nothing short of thrilling, draining, inspiring and exhausting. Yet despite the obvious challenges, going to school at ICE has so far proven to be one of the best decisions I've made in my life. Over the next few months, I hope to share some of my experiences and what its like to pursue your passion while holding down a 9-5 job.

I'm sure many of you, like me, struggled with the decision of whether or not to take the leap and jump headfirst into culinary school. But when I found that all I wanted to talk or think about was food, I realized that this passion was something I needed to take seriously.

My desire to feed my hunger for knowledge and redirect my life towards a new career completely overrode the exhaustion I thought I would face. And after just two weeks of class, I’m already hooked. Knife skills, fabrication—you name it, I can't get enough.

When I chose to pursue cooking more seriously, a lot of people asked me why I was choosing a non-traditional career path when I already had a very predictable and stable job. While I love to cook and eat, the answer for me (and I'm sure a lot of you) is much more complex. For me, cooking has always been a way to travel and explore different cultures without leaving my house.

The origins of so many iconic dishes have been dictated by historical events in the past. Each country or region has their own traditions formed by times of war, occupation and colonization, as well as religious and socio-economic influences. Discovering food as culture has allowed me to experience so much more than just what's on my plate.

Yet, as I’m sure you can imagine, this passion doesn’t change the fact that there’s only so many hours in the day. One thing that I have found particularly difficult as a career changer is finding the time to be involved in extracurricular activities. Before enrolling, I envisioned myself attending guest lectures, electives, career fairs and networking opportunities.

Although my schedule doesn’t allow me to attend as many events as I would like, I try to be as involved as I possibly can. Volunteering at events that take place on Sundays—like the New York Times Travel Show—and taking recreational classes in the late evenings are both ways for students with full-time jobs to practice their skills outside of classroom hours. One of my favorite things about ICE is the myriad of ways they help to complement your education in the classroom with experience in the field.

My advice to anyone looking to go to school while working a full-time job is to stay motivated, get involved and keep the end goal in mind. Be prepared to work hard. Taste everything. Volunteer, read as much as you can and take advantage of ICE’s recreational classes!

The truth is, many of the most exciting opportunities in the food industry require you to work outside of the traditional 9-5 schedule, so this experience is getting me ready to make that transition. I look forward to sharing more stories about my time at ICE!

Click here for more "Life as an ICE Student" stories.

Culinary Student Culinary Education Culinary Arts