From NY's Iconic Kitchens To ICE's Classrooms: Meet Chef Sabrina

 

By Carly DeFilippo

 

As a young ICE graduate, Sabrina Sexton launched her career in two innovative kitchens whose exceptional food and casual bistro style would forever change New York City's downtown dining scene: Chanterelle and Gramercy Tavern. Today, she has returned to ICE as our lead Culinary Arts instructor, training the next generation of game-changing chefs.

 While finishing her pre-med program at Johns Hopkins University, Sabrina realized she was more anxious about becoming a doctor than passing her MCATs. Deep down, she knew it was time to trade in her lab coat for, well, another white coat—an ICE chef's jacket.

 

As part of her Culinary Arts program at ICE, Sabrina externed at Chanterelle, a groundbreaking fine dining establishment in Manhattan's then undeveloped downtown. The restaurant's SoHo kitchen proved to be the perfect training ground for the young cook. Sabrina describes Executive Chef David Waltuck as the kind of leader who was truly happiest behind the stove and exceptionally "thoughtful about the 'why' of cooking." Under Waltuck's wing, Sabrina learned to carefully consider flavor pairings and the way different techniques would change the expression of flavor in a dish.