2014 ICE CUISINE COURSE IN FRANCE

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE

WITH CHEF KATHRYN GORDON
JUNE 17-27, 2014

 

Intensive Hands-On Culinary and Baking Program in the Loire Valley

Join ICE Chef-Instructor Kathryn Gordon, co-author of Les Petits Macarons, Colorful French Confections to Make at Home, for a fabulous opportunity to work hands-on with a variety of professional chefs, pastry chefs and bakers. You will work with fine dining chefs, charcuterie chefs, regional country-style chefs, and pastry chefs and an artisan bread baker in their restaurants, professional patisserie and artisan boulangerie located throughout the western Loire Valley (between Angers and Saumur).  The region is a world heritage site along France’s longest river, known as the cradle of the French language and the “Garden of France.”  The Loire Valley, long the hunting ground of French nobility, is notable for its chateaux, historic towns, architecture, diverse food production and wines and sparkling wines. 

                                                                                       Cafe au lait bowls

You will stay in a beautiful, award-winning luxury country inn, Le Moulin Bregeon. Le Moulin Bregeon was converted by fine artist Jonathan Robinson from a former wheat mill to an award-winning hotel filled with antiques and hand-ironed French linens on the beds.  All of our cooking classes are hands-on and translated or taught in English.  Each day includes delicious hands-on cooking or baking classes at Le Moulin Bregeon or on location, classes with a local wine school, and culinary-related sightseeing.  In between classes, our educational visits will help you learn about traditional food production methods and include personalized visits to: artisan nut oil press, escargot farm, organic chevre farm, foie gras auberge, stone ground wheat mill, mushroom production caves, local farm markets, Loire Valley wineries, sparkling wine fermentation caves, and chateaux with historic kitchens and gardens. 

Bernard picking mushrooms

The ICE Cuisine Course in France is open to all ICE alumni who have completed their externship, and the general public interested in expanding their culinary skills and knowledge of organic food. For photos of Le Moulin Bregeon and chef bios see our cooking program website, www.loirevalleycooking.com

SO PACK YOUR UNIFORM AND CHEF KNIVES,

AND JOIN US FOR THIS SPECIAL COURSE

JUNE 17 - 27, 2014

2014 ICE CUISINE COURSE IN FRANCE ITINERARY

Note:  Order of daily activities subject to change until our arrival,
 depending on chef schedules.  You will be given an updated schedule prior to travel.

Dining Room at Le Moulin Bregeon

Course Instructor:         ICE Chef Kathryn Gordon

Course Dates:                 June 17 - 27, 2014

Tuition Fee:                    $3,650 (price breakdown is below)

Participants:                   Course is limited to 6-12 participants

Le Moulin's pet goat Blanchette 

Tuesday June 17:  Depart NY/NJ airports for travel to France (on your own, so you may use frequent flyer points if you have them and save some of the travel cost).

    Wednesday June 18:   Arrival Paris airport.  Travel from Paris to Loire Valley via high speed TGV and local trains.   Rendezvous Saumur train station at 5 pm for pick up of luggage (if you happen to arrive earlier, you may leave your luggage at the Saumur train station and wander across the Loire river to explore Saumur, a very pedestrian friendly city).  Drive to our host hotel, our luxury country inn Le Moulin Bregeon in Linieres-Bouton.   Free time to walk around Le Moulin's organic gardens.   Welcome drink and 7:30 pm guinea fowl dinner at Le Moulin prepared by resident Chef Pascal Merillou.  Chef Pascal comes from Bergerac along the Dordogne, worked in various restaurants in Paris, and is responsible for the organic gardens at Le Moulin Bregeon. 

                                             Participants cooking in Le Moulin's second kitchen

Thursday June 19:  9 am Breakfast.  Food history and regional introduction by  Chef-Instructor Kathryn Gordon to the “Garden of France.” 10 am hands-on cuisine class with Chef Guy Izambard to cook:  vegetable pate en croute and boudin blanc.  Chef Guy is the retired head of the regional culinary school and former chef at La Plaza Athenee in Paris.  Enjoy lunch with the Chef at Le Moulin Bregeon (bring notebook; wear full uniform if you have one - or apron, and bring chef/paring knives if you have them).   2:30 pm visit to local escargot farm; optional 4 pm walk to family-run foie gras farm.   5:30 pm hands-on cuisine class with Chef Guy to cook regional specialties including lamb merguez and plum tart.  Enjoy French BBQ dinner with the chef.

                                                         Chef Guy skinning eels outside by river Lathan

Friday June 20.   Breakfast at 8 am.  9 am dough theory class with Chef Kathryn.  Chef Kathryn became the culinary director for Le Moulin Bregeon after first meeting the owners in 1999, and is currently working on her second book (on doughs!)  Time to walk around Linieres-Bouton "the Village" while tarts are baking; enjoy savory tarts for lunch.  Start confisserie maceration with Bernard Levenez (who makes all the jam for breakfast at Le Moulin).  2 pm Visit to Chateau Paleine for tour of vineyard and wine tasting. 4:30 pm artisan bread class with Master Boulanger Philippe Soulard at La Maison du Pain, Angers to learn about baking levain leavened breads. Bring apron/notebook; tie hair back (and ask questions!).  Return to Le Moulin to enjoy regional duck specialties for dinner and Brittany cake.

                                  Savory tarts you will prepare for lunch with Chef Kathryn

Saturday June 21:  Breakfast at 8:30 am.  Visit organic farm markets in pedestrian-friendly Saumur with Chef Pascal Merillou.    Free time for shopping in the markets and shops, and finding lunch (on own, not included; bring 10-12 euros).   12:30 rendezvous at La Duchesse Anne patisserie (possible lunch location, but arrive by 12 to enjoy their lunch special).   1:30 visit to Louis de Grenelle sparkling wine caves in Saumur for tour and tasting.  5 pm hands-on regional cuisine class of chicken with vin jaune and chocolate mousse with Chef Pascal at Le Moulin.   Finish confisserie with Bernard.

Chef Pascal with hen of the woods mushrooms

Sunday June 22:  Breakfast at 8 am.  10 am visit Chateau Brissac.  Sandwich style lunch with group en route (not included; bring 10-12 euros).  3 pm tour at working wheat stone ground mill Moulin Sarre.  7 pm hands-on Brittany-style savory and sweet crepe class with Chef Bernard for dinner at Le Moulin, including Coquille St. Jacques.  Chef Bernard grew up in nearby Brittany where his mother owned a crepe restaurant.  Wear apron.  Enjoy Celtic music and cider with dinner, and possible Celtic dancing lesson.

Monday June 23:  Breakfast 7:15 am.  9 am hands on baking class at La Duchesse Anne Patisserie, Saumur (full uniform). 
1:30 pm visit to mushroom production caves in Saumur, with mushroom lunch (included).  Return to Le Moulin for hands-on cuisine class on lamb with Chef JessieRiley.  Chef Jessie teaches in the culinary program at Kingsborough Community College (CUNY) in NYC, worked for a brief time at La Duchesse Anne in Saumur, teaches a series of Couples Cuisine Classes at ICE with Chef Kathryn, and is a co host of Wild Game Domain on Heritage Radio.

                                               Chef Pascal's potimarron squash soup

Tuesday June 24:   Breakfast 8 am.  Flight of pasteurized and raw goat/cow dairy tasting with Chef Jessie.   9:30 class with Chef Kathryn on French Macarons, Financiers and Sablee Cookies.  12 pm Lunch at local trucker restaurant in Linieres-Bouton (included).  3 pm visit to master cheese maker Hughes Delahaye to tour organic goat farm and learn about chevre.   Wear walking shoes.  Hands on class to prepare regional Brittany-specialties including "apple far" and chicken bouillabaisse with Chef Bernard for dinner at Le Moulin.  Uniform or apron.  Taste flight of chevre from Hughes' farm. 

Wednesday June 25:   8 am breakfast.  9:30  hands on cuisine course with Chef Eric Bichon at his restaurant L’Oree des Bois in La Brielle des Pins, lunch and Q&A with the chef (full uniform).   Visit to honey farm in pine forest and artisan nut oil press.  Upon your return to Le Moulin, Chef Pascal will lead hands-on cuisine class (lotte l'armoricaine and creme renversee) at Le Moulin.  We also recommend you try to pack.  Enjoy classic French food-movie night at Le Moulin.

Chef Eric Bichon's dessert at L'Oree des Bois

Thursday June 26:   Breakfast 7 am.   Visit to fleur de sel marshes of Geurande, sandwich style lunch on own in Geurande (not included).   4:30 pm tasting/tour of Combier, 18^th C distillery in Saumur (with original equipment designed by Eiffel) and original makers of Triple Sec and Absinthe.    Return to Le Moulin.  6:30 pm help prepare farewell dinner featuring French salads at Le Moulin Bregeon with Chef Jessie.

 

French Macarons you will bake at La Duchesse Anne Patisserie

Friday June 27:     Breakfast.    Depart for trains back to Paris or Charles de Gaulle from Saumur.  Note:  please coordinate return flights with Chef Kathryn; we recommend you consider staying one night in Paris since it is impossible to make morning flights coming up via train from the Loire Valley; however, afternoon flights are feasible.  

Le Moulin Bregeon summer evening al fresco dining

To find out more about our host hotel for the cooking programs, you can download a free ITunes app for Iphones or Ipads, "Le Moulin Bregeon." 

What's Included

- 9 nights country-lux accommodations

- French continental breakfast daily at Le Moulin Bregeon with homemade jams, yogurt,   viennoisserie, muesli, cafe au lait and juice

- 4 course dinners daily at Le Moulin Bregeon with local wines selected for each course by the chef

- 5 lunches (2 eaten out at restaurants -- mushroom cave and trucker restaurant, 4 prepared in classes by the group with Chefs Guy, Eric and Kathryn)

- Full tuition and course food/wine costs for 13 class sessions with 8 different chef/instructors

- Local travel around the Loire Valley

- Entrance fees to chateaux, vineyards, museums and culinary tours/tastings

                                                                       Main kitchen at Le Moulin Bregeon

What's Not Included

-3 sandwich style lunches en route with group (Saturday, Sunday, Thursday)

- Airfare and round-trip train from Paris/Charles de Gaulle to Saumur.  Total door-to-door course cost is about $4,850
- Travel insurance (purchase on your own)

- Tips for hotel staff at Le Moulin Bregeon (please estimate $100, included in the $4,850). 

- Personal laundry, phone and incidentals

                                                       Chef Kathryn and participants preparing plums for jam

 How to Apply

1. Contact Chef Kathryn at kathrynlmg@yahoo.com to inquire about availability for tour and full description of our trip; a brief phone conversation can be scheduled

2. ASAP, please email answers to the following:

- Are you a US citizen with current passport (non-US citizens may require a via for France)

- Do you have any food allergies? Food preferences?  Are you ok in a country location?

- Please confirm you are ok with family-style, shared room accommodations (each suite has private bath; every 2-3 students will share a suite and bathroom)

- Are you in good health and able to walk distances, climb stairs and stand in kitchens?  We have very long days for our itinerary; consider it a delicious, educational opportunity but not just a vacation...  The French tend to eat dinner much later than Americans...  
- The location of Le Moulin Bregeon is in the very remote countryside; they have pet turkeys, chickens, geese, ducks, goats, cats and dogs that are not allowed inside but sometimes wander in, as do the occasional insect; bring allergy medication if necessary - it is more difficult to obtain in France

- Do you understand you will be traveling with a diverse group of individuals; this requires teamwork, cooperation and maturity?

- If you went to ICE professional programs, what chefs did you have, when did you graduate and where did you extern?  Are you working in the culinary field now?  

3. Upon confirmation of your application, Chef Kathryn will direct you how to pay a $500 deposit to ICE Accounting (credit card to Brian Ellis, bellis@ice.edu).  Note as of 11/26:  fees are now non-refundable as we have enough participants and have started to book airfare.
4. Payment in full of $3,650 will be due to ICE by 1/16/14 (Brian Ellis in Accounting, bellis@ice.edu).

5. Prior to travel, Chef Kathryn will provide information re train travel, packing, weather, etc. and offer a chance for local NY area participants to meet each other at ICE.  
6. If you have questions, please email Chef Kathryn at kathrynlmg@yahoo.com

                                        Hughes Delahaye with his chevre

Course Rules

- No smoking in Le Moulin Bregeon rooms

- Students are expected to be considerate of other travelers and staff and family-style accommodations, meals, etc.

                                                             Baking class at La Duchesse Anne in Saumur

Private culinary courses at Le Moulin Bregeon may be arranged throughout the year for 2 or more participants.  For details, see loirevalleycooking.com

                                                                             Prepping vegetables in a class

TRAVEL TO LE MOULIN BREGEON

TRAVEL LOGISTICS:

Security, Passports and Visas
Please check your airline for current travel restrictions. Make sure your passport is up to date. If you do not have a US passport, please contact your consulate for current travel information/visas for France.

Arrival

The high speed train line from Paris to the Loire Valley runs from Gare du Montparnasse.  A few trains run each day directly from Charles de Gaulle (except Sundays/Holidays).

To go directly by train from Gare du Montparnasse:  take the Air France shuttle (approximately 19 euros) because it is a lot easier with bags than the Paris RER train plus two metro transfers (no escalators, only stairs).  Follow signs in the airport for the Air France shuttle.  If you flew on Air France, the Montparnasse train station shuttle is free.

To go via train from Charles de Gaulle:

When you arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport, you will retrieve your luggage through customs, and make your way down to the TGV train station following the well-marked signs for “GARE” (marked with a train symbol). The train station is below the central connection between all air terminals.

You will need to purchase a round trip TGV (SCNF) ticket on the first possible train to Saumur.   They will route you either through:  Angers, Tours, or St. Pierre des Corps (in Tours).   The round trip ticket usually costs about 110 Euros for second class (which is very comfortable, clean and better than US trains), unless there are more people buying the tickets as a group you may be able to get a group discount. If you are travelling by yourself, you can use a credit/debit card. To travel as a pair or with a group, you will need cash or one person will have to put it all on their card.

Don't worry too much about the time of the return trip -- if necessary Bernard Levenez can help change the tickets during the week.   There isn't a fee for a ticket change; there may be some euros due if you wind up on a peak hour, higher cost train.  Try to get a train back to Charles de Gaulle, Paris or where ever you're heading around 8:30 am.  However, YOU MUST keep your train ticket -- all parts (including outbound ticket) are required if any modifications are to be made with Bernard/the ticket agent at the train station. 

​Train Payment

It is highly recommended that you obtain about 200 Euros at an ATM at the airport, or in the US, to be able to pay cash for the train ticket and your initial food expenses. This will also minimize the time required to wait in the airport exchange bureaus after obtaining the luggage, and allow you to get on the first possible train, etc. You can go to American Express in the states, a large bank, or an exchange bureau.

Note: the best exchange rates are available if you simply use your debit card to withdraw Euros in France from an ATM machine with your regular security code – and this is the best way to obtain additional cash for shopping in the markets, and places that will not take credit cards or Traveler’s checks. Please note, Amex is not as widely accepted in Europe as are Master card or Visa. There are ATM machines at Charles de Gaulle for taking out Euros in cash.  If you have more than one VISA/Mastercard -- bring all of them...  You should contact your VISA/Mastercard bank to let them know when/where you will be traveling.  Even if you pre-call your US bank before traveling, they don't always work in Europe.

Ticketing for the Train

The TGV ticketing staff will route you on the first available train to Saumur. You will need to transfer between trains usually once along the way.

Depending on what time of day you are travelling, or if you are coming from Paris (departing from the Montparnasse train station), you may be routed through one of 3 cities: Angers, St. Pierre des Corps or Tours, and transfer there for the local Saumur train. In any case, the train to Saumur from one of these three cities will take an additional 20-30 minutes. Train arrival and departure times are clearly noted on your ticket.

When you get your ticket, look for the TGV train number. You need this number to locate your train on the large display board in order to find the track and updated departure time. TGV train numbers are marked on the signage, not your destination/transfer city.

Reading Your Train Ticket and Next Steps

The train track will be posted in the main station by time and train number about 20 minutes before the train arrives in the station. “VOIE” is French for track. On your way out to the track level, there is a yellow validation machine. You need to time validate your ticket in this machine, in case a conductor wants to see your ticket on the train.

After you get down to the track, you will see an electronic board mapping the train cars by alphabetical letter to your ticket. “VOIT” is the car you need to be in, according to your ticket. The electronic board will help you see where to walk to on the track to enter that car. [For example, if your ticket says ‘voit 03,’ the orange electronic board may tell you to enter in area ‘G’ on the track.] Once you enter the train, you will find the racks to store your large luggage. Your reserved train seat is noted by number on the ticket. There are bathrooms, an area to use the phone and a food car on the train.

Please note, transfer times to move your luggage on/off the high speed trains is very quick – French trains are much more timely than American. It is helpful to keep your ticket and watch nearby, and stand near your luggage before the train announcement that you are arriving in your transfer station, so you can move everything off the train as quickly as possible. It may not even feel like the TGV high speed train is slowing down – but the train will be at the station at the stated time and you need to be ready.

Pick Up In Saumur By The Inn Owners

You will be met at 4:45-5 pm at the Saumur train station by Le Moulin staff. There are chairs in the waiting lounge, or a café across the street from the train station. If you have arrived very, very early -- the ticketing agent at the Saumur train station should be able to hold your luggage so that you might explore Saumur a bit – a very pedestrian friendly city across the Loire River (about a 15-20 minute walk).

When you know which train you will be arriving on, you should notify the inn before you get on the train, unless your cell works in France. Without prior arrangement, everyone and their luggage will be picked up at Saumur by 4:45-5 pm. Most people will fit in one rental van; they will bring additional cars for our luggage. Other touring days, Chefs Kathryn or Jessie will drive one of Le Moulin's cars and Bernard or Kathryn will generally drive the rental van.

The first day is definitely primarily a travel day... The trains via St. Pierre des Corps or Tours take about 1 ½ hours from the airport; the train from Angers will be about 2 hours. There may be a brief wait before the Saumur train arrives, and you will need to wait in Saumur for pick-up from Le Moulin Bregeon.  If you go via taxi or the Air France shuttle to Gare du Montparnasse, you can arrive earlier.

If you happen to have arrived earlier in Saumur, there is a cafe across the street from the train station. Or there is a waiting room in the train station, with luggage storage available through the ticketing agent. You can walk across the river to Saumur (a very pedestrian friendly city) in about 15-20 minutes.

When you arrive at Le Moulin Bregeon late afternoon, you will have time to explore everyone else’s rooms, settle into your own room, and walk around the grounds. However, we don’t advise a nap or acclimating to the time change is more difficult.  We will try to have a relatively early dinner the first night.


​

MEET THE 2014 PARTICIPANTS

Would you like to "meet" people you will be working with before our course begins?  Please email Kathryn at kathrynlmg@yahoo.com and send your bio and photo for our album!

Chef Kathryn Gordon

Chef Kathryn met the owners of Le Moulin Bregeon in 1999, and has been taking groups over ever since!  She will teach 2 baking related sessions of our hands-on cooking program in France.






                                                   



                                                                                                         Chef Bernard Levenez

Bernard Levenez is our main group "tour guide," translator and will also share his savory and sweet Brittany-related specialties with the group in 2 hands-on cooking sessions.   Bernard makes all the confisserie for Le Moulin, which you will enjoy with your daily breakfast.   Bernard's mother owned a restaurant in Brittany, so Bernard grew up helping -- although his mother's speed record for making crepes cannot be beat!










                                         


                                         Chef Pascal Merillou

Chef Pascal grew up along the Dordogne, and his regional style cuisine is from the heart-of France.  Pascal loves his organic gardens and refuses to lower his standards -- so you will eat his delicious, local food all week.  Le Moulin owner, Jonathan Robinson, met Pascal while he was working years ago at a restaurant in Paris, and the rest is history. Chef Pascal will lead 2 hands-on cooking sessions for ICE.  

                                                                                        Chef Guy Izambard

Guest Chef Guy Izambard trained at the Plaza Athenee in Paris, and recently retired as the head Culinary Director of the regional culinary training school in Saumur.  One of his specialties is charcuterie.  Chef Guy recently returned to his native Brittany, but will come teach an intense, hands-on day for us at Le Moulin Bregeon (morning and afternoon cuisine sessions).










                                                     Jonathan Robinson

Jonathan Robinson is a fine artist who went to Paris for his Masters degree, and in cliche fashion never returned to live in the United States.  It is his vision for Le Moulin Bregeon that established it as a cooperative, run with his partners Pascal Merillou and Bernard Levenez, and his directive for the restoration of the Mill and the Village (project underway in Linieres-Bouton).  Jonathan created the culinary program at Le Moulin Bregeon with the pastry shop owner Chef Christian Godineau (and his culinary and other food professional contacts throughout the Loire Valley).

Chef Jessie Riley

Chef Jessie is Kathryn's partner, teaches in the culinary program at Kingsborough Community College, and a co-host of Wild Game Domain: From Hunt to Hearth on Heritage Radio.  She has helped guide many cuisine courses at Le Moulin Bregeon, and spent part of one cold winter at Le Moulin with Bernard, working at La Duchesse Anne Patisserie in Saumur (when Figaro was born at the Mill!).  She will lead 2 hands-on cooking sessions.






ROOM MATES AND ROOMING ARRANGEMENTS

Nancy Wadler and Sylvia Cancio
Latham River Suite

Nancy Wadler is an attorney who works as a legal recruiter/coach (Career Advocacy for Attorneys), with a focus in the Intellectual Property field.  She volunteers as a teacher for ESOL students.  Travel is a great passion.  She speaks a little Spanish and a little more French.  How good is her French?
Comme ci comme ca.



Sylvia Cancio almost visited Le Moulin Bregeon 7 years ago, but work beckoned and she had to send her daughter instead.  This year she's finally going to make it and she is truly looking forward to the trip this year.  Sylvia is a businesswoman and licensed aesthetician who operates a healthcare staffing agency in NYC as well as an Acne Clinic in Queens.  However, her passing is baking and cake decorating and she has taken numerous classes at ICE to hone her craft.

Jeff Yoskowitz
The Village Room 1

Chef Jeff Yoskowitz teaches the professional and recreational classes at ICE with Chef Kathryn, and has been wanting to come to France for the culinary program for years.  This is the year.   Jeff is one of the partners in Food Startup Help with Kathryn Gordon and Jessie Riley, a consultancy for start ups and expanding entrepreneurs in the food industry.  He is the Lead Instructor in the Pastry & Baking Program at ICE.   His last trip abroad was to Switzerland, where he mostly focused on chocolate -- so he is looking forward to a more diversified program in France. 

Jamie Guardino and Jessica King

The Miller's Room

Jamie is a graduate of the Pastry & Baking Career Program at ICE, and owns a pastry school in the Philippines with her brother.

Jessica is a recent graduate of the Pastry & Baking program at ICE, currently in externship.  She is 22 years old and from Rockaway Beach, New York.  She will be finished with the program just before we go on the trip to France.

Ginger Qua and Graham Osborne
The Red Room ("The Grainary")

Ginger graduated from the Pastry & Baking program at ICE.  She worked as a financial broker and also for architectural firms in Manhattan.  She now does freelance work with event planners and florists.  Graham was a soldier and construction engineer.  He worked in peacekeeping and currently works in statistics at the United Nations.

Yael Fuchs, Sylvia Cancio and Michelle Efron 
The White Room (2nd floor)

Yael is an OB/GYN, who met Chef Kathryn years ago (9? 10?) at ICE when Yael took the 12-week intensive pastry program.  In 2013, Yael, Ginger and Graham met on Chef Gerri's Cuisine Course in Italy.  This year it's time for France!

Michelle Effron graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of California San Diego.  After working in biotech and academic research for 5 years she moved to the East Coast with her husband where she continued to work in science and eventually moved to New York City and began working for CEO’s of Fortune 100 companies.  Having always been an avid baker and cook, Michelle decided that after 20 years in corporate America, it was time for her to follow her true passion.  In the winter of 2013, Michelle enrolled in The Institute of Culinary Education’s School of Pastry and Baking Arts and graduated in September of 2013 with Highest Honors.  Following her externship, Michelle launched her own business, Eat Great Cake where she creates custom cakes and pastries in the bustling Upper West Side neighborhood of New York City.

John Parisi
The Village Room 2

John is a recent graduate of the career culinary program at ICE in August, 2013.  After graduating, John did his externship at Lure Fishbar in Soho, where he was hired out of externship and now works the saute station full time at lunch.  He is excited to be able to cook with chefs in France.

Kathryn Gordon and Jessie Riley will be in The Green Room


ICE graduates Nora Watson and Ana Nicole Rodriguez will be working at Le Moulin this summer:

Ana is a recipe developer, food editor and freelance chef living in her native NYC.  Ana is a James Beard Foundation fellowship recipient and holds a Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts certificate from ICE.  She has staged at Blue Hill and worked on the editorial team of Food Arts magazine.  She writes about her culinary adventures at www.piquantblog.com   She is delighted to be cooking at Le Moulin Bregeon.

Nora Watson is a graduate of the Professional Culinary Program at ICE, and met Chef Kathryn in the Culinary Mod 4 portion.  Nora heard stories about the Mill several years ago, and stated her interest to work at the Mill one summer.  This is the year!  Nora works primarily a Chef Assistant at ICE, helping in classes and teaching special events (although she works a bit at Rustico Cooking as well).   Lately she has been cooking lunches for the Center for Advanced Pastry Studies (CAPS) at ICE.  She has also done freelance chef work in NYC and NJ, and last summer catered several beach bbq's.