Fottocini

Chef Nelson is a master ice carver and this is his method on creating a showpiece from conception to final product. First you need your design or drawing on a small piece of paper. You can then use an overhead projector to trace the small drawing on to another larger piece of parchment paper to place over your ice. If you dont have an overhead projector, just draw on the larger piece of paper freehand.

The original drawing on paper

This dolphin piece requires four 300 lb. blocks of ice, thats 1,200 lbs. of ice to transport, carry, lift, carve, and shave. The photo below shows the four blocks ready for carving.

Each block weighs in at 300 lbs.

You need to fuse the two blocks together immediately after they are touching. To do this Chef Nelson pours ice cold water in between the two pieces. The ice water should be the same temperature as the block of ice, or it will crack and pop, like when you pour a beverage into a glass of ice, thus ruining the piece.

Fusing the two pieces together with ice cold water

Next step would be to place your thin paper drawing over the ice. The paper will stick to the ice if you spray water on it. See the photos below.

Place your paper over the ice

Spray water on the paper to make the ice stick

Ice ready for carving

At this point, Chef Nelson is ready to start carving with the chainsaw. The chainsaw is used to get the majority of the ice off the sculpture. Its basically cutting around the drawing, not worrying too much about accuracy yet, since you will be hand shaving the piece later.

Use the chainsaw to cut large portions at a time

Cutting around the lines

Carving with the chainsaw on the back side

At the end of the first major cut with the chainsaw

Once Chef Nelson passed through the entire design with the chainsaw he is ready to use his shaving tools to carve a smoother and more detailed piece. The shaving tools come in a variety of sizes, some for use in corners, others for shaving away large slices at a time. He also uses a power drill for the delicate detailed work such as eyes and waves.

The ice pick used for lifting the 300 lb blocks

Various shaving tools and the power drill

Close up of the ice on the blade

Using the power drill

Using the power drill to create the eyes

Using the shaving tool to create a 3D sculpture, and smooth the ice

The photos below show the half completed sculpture, Chef Nelson will finish it the following day. The piece is carted back into the freezer until the actual day of the event. Then the  ice will be polished until its crystal clear and  ready for the guests to enjoy. Stay tuned for part two of this article. Thanks to Chef Nelson Millan for the technical advice.

Almost done: The right side of the piece

Almost done: The left side of the piece