The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) is proud to announce the formation of the ICE Kevin Nurse Memorial Scholarship to commemorate the life of Kevin Nurse, a triumphant individual whose boundless passion for food helped him prevail over remarkable odds and become a successful chef. Given annually to a student entering ICE's career training programs, this scholarship, valued at $10,000, will be a chance to change the life of someone who faces extraordinary challenges on their journey to fulfill their culinary dreams.

Nurse's inspirational story is one of passion and perseverance both in and out of the kitchen. Nurse suffered from viral cardiomyopathy and underwent a lifesaving heart transplant in 2006. He then decided it was time to follow his lifelong passion for food and began the Culinary Arts Program at ICE. After a year of living with his new heart, Nurse contacted the donor's family and discovered an amazing coincidence – the donor had also attended culinary school and was working as a chef when he died. Nurse felt that he was meant to carry on the donor's dreams and graduated from ICE in 2008. Nurse went on to lead the kitchen at the Mustang Bar and Grill in Victoria, Texas, the home state of his donor's family.

In July 2010, ICE sadly learned of Nurse's passing. The school saw it fit to honor his memory with a scholarship celebrating his passion for the culinary arts, helping further carry on his inspirational story and the legacy of a heart of a chef. ICE President Rick Smilow says, "Kevin's story is remarkable on so many levels; drive and determination, luck and kismet, fate and heartbreak. With this scholarship, ICE wants to keep his spirit active and visible, with the hope that others' will be inspired and thankful."

The ICE Kevin Nurse Memorial Scholarship will be given annually to a student who has overcome medical hardship and demonstrates Nurse's enthusiasm for culinary education. The scholarship offers a $10,000 tuition discount for students enrolling in ICE's Culinary Arts or Pastry & Baking Arts Programs, or a $5,000 discount for ICE's Culinary Management or Hospitality Management Programs. Nurse's sister, his former Chef Instructor Einav Gefen, his ICE Admissions Representative Dossie Rielly, Director of Education Richard Simpson, and Director of Student Affairs Andy Gold will determine the recipient of the scholarship. Students applying to ICE may apply for the scholarship by submitting a 1,000-word essay explaining their medical hardship, passion for cooking, and why he or she is deserving of the scholarship to kevinnurse-memorial@iceculinary.com.