Ice Carving

One of the skills that used to always blow me away when I started out in this business was ice carving. When I was in high school, I pleaded with our chef instructor to bring in someone to do an ice carving demo. I was very fortunate to attend a high level culinary program at a vocational school in Phoenix. Eventually he conceded and brought in the ice carver from a major resort in Scottsdale, AZ. I was hooked after I watched him carve a swan with a chainsaw in less than an hour. My curiosity followed me to work where I would ask my boss to show me some basics since he could carve ice as well. Week after week I would carve something for the Sunday brunch and take pictures. I learned to do lots of simple things like swans, eagles, or a cactus. Now much further into my career I still love the skill and occasionally get to do something for a special event. My last couple of carvings were a basket, a Kodiak bear, and an Easter rabbit. I'm really thinking about trying to hone my skill by continuing the tradition of carving one for Sunday brunch. There is probably someone on my staff that is as curious as I was and wanting to learn like I did.