Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2023
Media Contacts:
|
Emily Daunt
Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (517) 377-3933 |
Students from Plymouth-Canton and Saginaw Celebrate Victory in the Michigan ProStart Hospitality Competition
Teams now advance to the National ProStart® Invitational in Washington, D.C., May 2-4, 2023
Teams now advance to the National ProStart® Invitational in Washington, D.C., May 2-4, 2023
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Hospitality Foundation is proud to announce that students on the Culinary team from the Plymouth Canton Educational Park and the Management team from the Saginaw Career Complex have been named the first place winners of the state ProStart Competition this past weekend in Port Huron.
Both teams will now move on to represent Michigan in their respective categories at the National ProStart® Invitational in Washington D.C., May 2-4.
More than 300 high school students, representing 23 Michigan schools across the state, competed in the Michigan Prostart Competition — an annual culinary and restaurant management competition hosted by the Michigan Hospitality Foundation. Students competed in a wide range of categories designed to test their knowledge of the industry, including Culinary, Management, Knife Skills, Nutrition, ServeSafe® Knowledge Bowl, Tabletop Design and Cake Design. Teams were observed, rated and judged by leading industry professionals and higher education instructors.
“The winning students demonstrated hard work, determination and creativity and exemplified what it means to work in the restaurant and hospitality industries,” said Amanda Smith, executive director of the Michigan Hospitality Foundation. “Every student who entered in this competition is primed for success in the hospitality industry, and we hope they will continue to hone their skills and use this experience as a steppingstone to advance their education and careers. We look forward to cheering the Plymouth Canton Educational Park and Saginaw Career Complex teams on as they go on to represent Michigan in the National Prostart® Invitational.”
Culinary teams were required to create a unique three-course meal consisting of a starter, entrée and dessert that demonstrates their culinary knowledge, skills and creative abilities. The Plymouth Canton Educational Park team prepared for their appetizer a soy marinated tuna dish with charred scallion mayonnaise, pickled apple, avocado mousse, cucumber, beats and black tahini. For the entrée, the team served strip steak and braised short rib with potatoes dauphinoise, carrots matignon and tomato and mushroom jus lie. Then for dessert, the team prepared a coconut Bavarian with orange-almond cake, caramel jam and coconut milk crumble with blackberry sorbet, spiced shortbread and passion fruit curd.
For the Management competition, teams demonstrated their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing and presenting a new restaurant concept to a panel of judges. Teams chose from one of four scenarios: freestanding restaurant; airport restaurant; food truck or strip mall restaurant and then presented their concepts via a 10’x10’ tradeshow booth as well as verbal presentations, posters and a Q&A session with a panel of judges.
The Saginaw Career Complex students’ winning concept was a food truck concept they called Monster Fries that would appear at scheduled popup food and music events they called “Beats & Eats.” The food truck menu included freshly cut French fries topped with various sauces, cheese, meat and other ingredients.
The final standings for the 2023 Michigan ProStart Competition are listed as:
Culinary
Management
Nutrition
Knife Cuts
ServeSafe® Knowledge Bowl
Tabletop Design
Cake Decorating
Teams were observed, rated and judged by leading industry professionals and higher education instructors. The competition helps students gain firsthand experience in skills like food safety, business management, menu development and marketing.
The first-place teams for the culinary and management categories of the competition move onto the National ProStart® Invitational. In addition, more than $250,000 in scholarships were available this year to students seeking to continue their post-secondary education in hospitality-related fields.
Annually, more than 5,000 Michigan students at 70 high schools and career centers participate in the ProStart curriculum. It is a two-year high school program that connects the classroom to the restaurant and foodservice industry. Every spring, ProStart students from across the state compete in the Michigan ProStart® Competition which is hosted by the Michigan Hospitality Foundation.
Both teams will now move on to represent Michigan in their respective categories at the National ProStart® Invitational in Washington D.C., May 2-4.
More than 300 high school students, representing 23 Michigan schools across the state, competed in the Michigan Prostart Competition — an annual culinary and restaurant management competition hosted by the Michigan Hospitality Foundation. Students competed in a wide range of categories designed to test their knowledge of the industry, including Culinary, Management, Knife Skills, Nutrition, ServeSafe® Knowledge Bowl, Tabletop Design and Cake Design. Teams were observed, rated and judged by leading industry professionals and higher education instructors.
“The winning students demonstrated hard work, determination and creativity and exemplified what it means to work in the restaurant and hospitality industries,” said Amanda Smith, executive director of the Michigan Hospitality Foundation. “Every student who entered in this competition is primed for success in the hospitality industry, and we hope they will continue to hone their skills and use this experience as a steppingstone to advance their education and careers. We look forward to cheering the Plymouth Canton Educational Park and Saginaw Career Complex teams on as they go on to represent Michigan in the National Prostart® Invitational.”
Culinary teams were required to create a unique three-course meal consisting of a starter, entrée and dessert that demonstrates their culinary knowledge, skills and creative abilities. The Plymouth Canton Educational Park team prepared for their appetizer a soy marinated tuna dish with charred scallion mayonnaise, pickled apple, avocado mousse, cucumber, beats and black tahini. For the entrée, the team served strip steak and braised short rib with potatoes dauphinoise, carrots matignon and tomato and mushroom jus lie. Then for dessert, the team prepared a coconut Bavarian with orange-almond cake, caramel jam and coconut milk crumble with blackberry sorbet, spiced shortbread and passion fruit curd.
For the Management competition, teams demonstrated their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing and presenting a new restaurant concept to a panel of judges. Teams chose from one of four scenarios: freestanding restaurant; airport restaurant; food truck or strip mall restaurant and then presented their concepts via a 10’x10’ tradeshow booth as well as verbal presentations, posters and a Q&A session with a panel of judges.
The Saginaw Career Complex students’ winning concept was a food truck concept they called Monster Fries that would appear at scheduled popup food and music events they called “Beats & Eats.” The food truck menu included freshly cut French fries topped with various sauces, cheese, meat and other ingredients.
The final standings for the 2023 Michigan ProStart Competition are listed as:
Culinary
- First Place: Plymouth Canton Educational Park
- Second Place: Bay Arenac ISD
- Third Place: Sanilac Career Center – Team B
- Fourth Place: Gaylord High School
- Fifth Place: Saginaw Career Complex
Management
- First Place: Saginaw Career Complex – Team A
- Second Place: Plymouth Canton Educational Park
- Third Place: Westshore ESD
- Fourth Place: Saginaw Career Complex – Team B
- Fifth Place: Calhoun Area Career Center
Nutrition
- First Place: Muskegon Area Career Tech Center – Team A
- Second Place: Plymouth Canton Educational Park
- Third Place: Muskegon Area Career Tech Center – Team B
Knife Cuts
- First Place: Caden Selleck, Van Buren Tech
- Second Place (tie): Kamryn Chasnis, Saginaw Career Complex
- Second Place (tie): Chloe Horney, Saginaw Career Complex
ServeSafe® Knowledge Bowl
- First Place: Van Buren Tech
- Second Place: Lenawee ISD – Team A
- Third Place: Saginaw Career Complex
- Fourth Place: Lenawee ISD – Team B
- Fifth Place: Iosco Regional Education Service Agency
Tabletop Design
- First Place: Bay Arenac ISD – Team A
- Second Place: Mecosta-Osceola Career Center
- Second Place: Westshore ESD
- Fourth Place: Bay Arenac ISD – Team C
- Fifth Place: Iosco Regional Education Service Agency
Cake Decorating
- First Place: Saginaw Career Complex (photo linked)
- Second Place: Bay Arenac ISD – Team D
- Third Place: Bay Arenac ISD – Team A
- Fourth Place: Van Buren Tech – Team B
- Fifth Place: Bay Arenac ISD – Team C
Teams were observed, rated and judged by leading industry professionals and higher education instructors. The competition helps students gain firsthand experience in skills like food safety, business management, menu development and marketing.
The first-place teams for the culinary and management categories of the competition move onto the National ProStart® Invitational. In addition, more than $250,000 in scholarships were available this year to students seeking to continue their post-secondary education in hospitality-related fields.
Annually, more than 5,000 Michigan students at 70 high schools and career centers participate in the ProStart curriculum. It is a two-year high school program that connects the classroom to the restaurant and foodservice industry. Every spring, ProStart students from across the state compete in the Michigan ProStart® Competition which is hosted by the Michigan Hospitality Foundation.
About the Michigan Hospitality Foundation
The Michigan Hospitality Foundation, formerly known as the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association Educational 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. ProStart students learn vital kitchen skills, including food safety and knife cuts, and important management lessons, such as menu development and marketing. For more information, visit https://www.mihf.org.
The Michigan Hospitality Foundation, formerly known as the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association Educational 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. ProStart students learn vital kitchen skills, including food safety and knife cuts, and important management lessons, such as menu development and marketing. For more information, visit https://www.mihf.org.
About the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association
Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) is the recognized leader of Michigan's hospitality industry, providing essential services to the foodservice and lodging community. Founded in 1921 as the Michigan Restaurant Association and now known as the MRLA, the Association represents over 5,000 Michigan foodservice and lodging establishments. The industry plays an integral role in Michigan's economy, employing more than 595,000 people and creating nearly $40 billion in annual sales. For more information, visit www.mrla.org and www.detroitrla.org.
Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) is the recognized leader of Michigan's hospitality industry, providing essential services to the foodservice and lodging community. Founded in 1921 as the Michigan Restaurant Association and now known as the MRLA, the Association represents over 5,000 Michigan foodservice and lodging establishments. The industry plays an integral role in Michigan's economy, employing more than 595,000 people and creating nearly $40 billion in annual sales. For more information, visit www.mrla.org and www.detroitrla.org.
###
