I donāt have a culinary degree, and Iām not a professional chef. But when I first started toying with the idea that Iād like to work in food, I turned to the Institute of Culinary Education. Back then it was called Peter Kumpās New York Cooking School, and you had to climb several flights of stairs so steep they felt more like ladders just to reach the cramped, cozy kitchens on E. 92nd Street. Everything felt oldābut sturdy old, like it had been used for hundreds, thousands of meals. The school grew and grew until finally they opened a glamorous facility on 23rd Street (coincidentally, two doors down from the former offices of Viking Penguin, my first employer). Now everythingās shiny, and ICE offers more than 2,800 classes each year, for more than 22,000 students. Their instructors include countless culinary luminaries.
And on Friday, October 12, Iāll be one of them.
Thatās right, Parents Need to Eat Too, the class that inspired the book, is coming to ICE. Rather than a series of classes, in which we cover one new-parent cooking technique at a time, this will be a four-hour, one-day affair. Perfect for folks who werenāt able to commit to multiple sessions! Weāll go over the New Momās Pantry, Nap-Friendly Cooking, Quick Suppers, One-Handed Meals, and Easy Indulgences, and then weāll cook, and then weāll eat. With wine. That partās been missing from my classes all alongāIāve never actually sat down with my students to share our work. On the menu:
- Minestrone with Parmesan Gremolata
- Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Dried Fruit & Almonds
- Curried Kale & Apple Empanadas
- Grilled Eggplant Parmesan
- and for dessert, Jammy Oatmeal Shortbread Bars
One small difference between teaching at ICE and here in Brooklyn: No babies allowed this time. Can you imagine the liability issues involved in baby-proofing a professional kitchen? Instead, consider this a mini-getaway. Line up some childcare and have fun cooking again!
Iām barely containing my excitement over this. And truth be told, my nerves. Seeing my mug adjacent to Jonathan Waxmanās in the official ICE catalog aināt helping.

I love that man.
If youāre in the New York area, please join me. I think weāre going to have a lot of fun.
Did I mention the wine? Oh, and that every participant receives a signed copy of my book?Ā Click through to register.
This is so exciting! Congrats, Debbie. The class will surely be wonderfulāthe menu says it all. And, uh, yea, being listed next to Waxman is amazing. (I love that man, too!)
Thanks Stacie! So glad someone shares my Waxman crush š
How awesome to see your photo in there like that!!! Congrats, sounds like great class. (Also, there is a place called the Academy of Culinary Education nearby so my heart leapt a little when I read it wrong and thought you were heading to California.)
This is really very exciting. You are doing a great job of promoting your book. Hope to see the second one soon. You must send a signed copy to Leah. I’m sure she will love it.
Wow, Deb! Look at you! Congratulations. Did you ever think you’d be an author and an instructor? Pour yourself into those new mamas. You will be fabulous.
Thanks, Jan!