Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2024
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Plymouth-Canton Educational Park and Grosse Pointe South Students Earn Top 10 Placement at the National ProStart Invitational
DETROIT, Mich. - Students from Grosse Pointe South High School won eighth place in the Culinary category and Plymouth-Canton Educational Park won ninth place in the Management category at the National ProStart® Invitational held in Baltimore, Maryland, April 26-28. The team advanced to nationals after placing first in Michigan’s statewide ProStart Competition on March 11, hosted by the Michigan Hospitality Foundation.
The National ProStart Invitational challenged culinary teams to create a unique three-course meal consisting of a starter, entrée and dessert that demonstrates their culinary knowledge, skills and creative abilities. For their appetizer, the Grosse Pointe South High School Team prepared a scallop trio, including a small scallop salad, a scallop and green bean fritter with grapefruit gastrique, and a seared scallop with saffron citrus beurre blanc. For the entrée, Grosse Pointe South students served mosaic pork tenderloin with colcannon duchess potatoes, red cabbage and fennel puree, fennel and mustard green ragout, pork dijon demi glace and roasted fluted mushroom. As a dessert, the team created a pear and cucumber namelaka, with poached pear, walnut sable cookie, cucumber and pear spiral, cucumber coulis, and honey walnut sauce. Team members of the Grosse Pointe competitors include Gabrille Vosburg, Landon Trombley, Meredith Arendoski, Jonah Tenckinck and Audrey Larson.
For the Management competition at the National ProStart Invitational, teams were challenged to develop a business model for an original restaurant concept, submitting a written proposal for review and presenting their concepts to a panel of judges at a simulated business exposition. Montana Guy and Madeleine White, the two members of the Plymouth Canton Educational Park team, presented the winning concept of a casual, full-service restaurant model called “Eve,” which would be owned, controlled, operated, and managed by women. Serving American-style cuisine, the restaurant concept would focus on eco-conscious practices and seasonal menus, embrace technology for seamless customer experiences, and give back to the community through charity events, partnerships with local women’s shelters, and local art displays.
The National ProStart Invitational is the country’s premier secondary school competition focused on restaurant management and culinary arts. Annually, nearly 250 Management competitors put their skills to the test in front of industry leaders, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Trustees, state restaurant associations, and family and friends. This comes with the chance of earning scholarships from the nation’s best culinary and restaurant management programs.
“Both of our teams came prepared to represent the future of Michigan’s hospitality industry, and their hard work paid off,” said Amanda Smith, Executive Director of the Michigan Hospitality Foundation. “Their creativity, critical thinking, and industry acumen was on full display at the National ProStart Invitational, and they represented our state at the highest level.”
Students competing in the National ProStart Invitational must impress judges from leading industry corporations, colleges and universities with skills that they have developed through ProStart. The National ProStart Invitational is composed of two distinct competitions, management and culinary.
The top five teams from the culinary competition are awarded educational scholarships to help further their careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. In 2024, more than $220,000 in scholarships were awarded to the winning students. All competitors are encouraged to take full advantage of competing at the National ProStart Invitational by networking with other students and industry professionals in attendance.
The National ProStart Invitational challenged culinary teams to create a unique three-course meal consisting of a starter, entrée and dessert that demonstrates their culinary knowledge, skills and creative abilities. For their appetizer, the Grosse Pointe South High School Team prepared a scallop trio, including a small scallop salad, a scallop and green bean fritter with grapefruit gastrique, and a seared scallop with saffron citrus beurre blanc. For the entrée, Grosse Pointe South students served mosaic pork tenderloin with colcannon duchess potatoes, red cabbage and fennel puree, fennel and mustard green ragout, pork dijon demi glace and roasted fluted mushroom. As a dessert, the team created a pear and cucumber namelaka, with poached pear, walnut sable cookie, cucumber and pear spiral, cucumber coulis, and honey walnut sauce. Team members of the Grosse Pointe competitors include Gabrille Vosburg, Landon Trombley, Meredith Arendoski, Jonah Tenckinck and Audrey Larson.
For the Management competition at the National ProStart Invitational, teams were challenged to develop a business model for an original restaurant concept, submitting a written proposal for review and presenting their concepts to a panel of judges at a simulated business exposition. Montana Guy and Madeleine White, the two members of the Plymouth Canton Educational Park team, presented the winning concept of a casual, full-service restaurant model called “Eve,” which would be owned, controlled, operated, and managed by women. Serving American-style cuisine, the restaurant concept would focus on eco-conscious practices and seasonal menus, embrace technology for seamless customer experiences, and give back to the community through charity events, partnerships with local women’s shelters, and local art displays.
The National ProStart Invitational is the country’s premier secondary school competition focused on restaurant management and culinary arts. Annually, nearly 250 Management competitors put their skills to the test in front of industry leaders, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Trustees, state restaurant associations, and family and friends. This comes with the chance of earning scholarships from the nation’s best culinary and restaurant management programs.
“Both of our teams came prepared to represent the future of Michigan’s hospitality industry, and their hard work paid off,” said Amanda Smith, Executive Director of the Michigan Hospitality Foundation. “Their creativity, critical thinking, and industry acumen was on full display at the National ProStart Invitational, and they represented our state at the highest level.”
Students competing in the National ProStart Invitational must impress judges from leading industry corporations, colleges and universities with skills that they have developed through ProStart. The National ProStart Invitational is composed of two distinct competitions, management and culinary.
The top five teams from the culinary competition are awarded educational scholarships to help further their careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. In 2024, more than $220,000 in scholarships were awarded to the winning students. All competitors are encouraged to take full advantage of competing at the National ProStart Invitational by networking with other students and industry professionals in attendance.
About ProStart
ProStart is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders. In Michigan, 86 high schools and career centers use the ProStart curriculum with more than 6,400 students participating. For more information about ProStart, contact Amanda Smith at 800-968-9668 or visit www.mihf.org/prostart
About the Michigan Hospitality Foundation
The Michigan Hospitality Foundation seeks to enhance the hospitality industry's service to the public through education, community engagement, and promotion of career opportunities. The MHF also prepares high school students for the challenges of a career in restaurants and foodservice through ProStart, a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and the industry. For more information, visit https://www.mihf.org.
ProStart is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders. In Michigan, 86 high schools and career centers use the ProStart curriculum with more than 6,400 students participating. For more information about ProStart, contact Amanda Smith at 800-968-9668 or visit www.mihf.org/prostart
About the Michigan Hospitality Foundation
The Michigan Hospitality Foundation seeks to enhance the hospitality industry's service to the public through education, community engagement, and promotion of career opportunities. The MHF also prepares high school students for the challenges of a career in restaurants and foodservice through ProStart, a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and the industry. For more information, visit https://www.mihf.org.
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