LEFT PHOTO: ICE President, Rick Smilow (right) pictured with Chef Rick Bayless (center) and IACP Cookbook Award winner, Daniel Leader (left), in New Orleans, April 18, 2008. RIGHT PHOTO: ICE President, Rick Smilow pictured with Milestone Award winner, Chuck Williams, Founder and Director Emeritus of Williams-Sonoma

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."