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From Classmates to Colleagues: ProStart Alumni Reunite in the Kitchen
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From high school to college and back again, the shared path of two ProStart alumni came full circle as they reunited in their professional careers. Zach Chouinard and Paul Di Nicola started out as ProStart teammates at Plymouth Canton High School and reunited years later as colleagues at Bloomfield Open Hunt Club, a 40 acre equestrian and private club in Bloomfield Hills.
The longterm friendship and career success between the two is a testament to the ProStart curriculum, showing how it can spark connections and shape futures. Chouinard and Di Nicola already loved food and cooking when they joined ProStart, but the program fueled that passion and guided their career paths.
“ProStart put me on a path to dive deeper into culinary arts, into the true craft that being a hospitality industry professional is all about,” said Chouinard. “ProStart helped me earn scholarships for culinary school and sparked my passion for competing, which led to two years of collegiate-level culinary competitions, including one in Thailand.”
The longterm friendship and career success between the two is a testament to the ProStart curriculum, showing how it can spark connections and shape futures. Chouinard and Di Nicola already loved food and cooking when they joined ProStart, but the program fueled that passion and guided their career paths.
“ProStart put me on a path to dive deeper into culinary arts, into the true craft that being a hospitality industry professional is all about,” said Chouinard. “ProStart helped me earn scholarships for culinary school and sparked my passion for competing, which led to two years of collegiate-level culinary competitions, including one in Thailand.”
The program blends classroom lessons with hands-on industry experience, teaching students like Chouinard and Di Nicola technical skills such as knife techniques, menu development and food safety, as well as soft skills like communication, teamwork and professionalism. It also features a yearly competition that reinforces these skills in real-world scenarios, requiring students to combine technical skills with speed, precision and communication under strict time limits.
“My favorite part about ProStart is the ability to network with other young people passionate about the culinary industry as well as industry professionals,” said Chouinard. “The relationships created, whether with other students or with chefs from around Michigan are priceless benefits that continue to help me in my career.”
The comprehensive curriculum was instrumental for their careers, and years later, Chouinard still applies the knowledge he learned in ProStart every day. He calls it the foundation to his success, paving the way for his future career.
“The skill that was of greatest consequence to me is learning how to become a critical and rational independent thinker,” said Chouinard. “Problem solving, which regardless of being in a kitchen, at home or in an entirely different career field transcends all aspects of everyday life.”
“My favorite part about ProStart is the ability to network with other young people passionate about the culinary industry as well as industry professionals,” said Chouinard. “The relationships created, whether with other students or with chefs from around Michigan are priceless benefits that continue to help me in my career.”
The comprehensive curriculum was instrumental for their careers, and years later, Chouinard still applies the knowledge he learned in ProStart every day. He calls it the foundation to his success, paving the way for his future career.
“The skill that was of greatest consequence to me is learning how to become a critical and rational independent thinker,” said Chouinard. “Problem solving, which regardless of being in a kitchen, at home or in an entirely different career field transcends all aspects of everyday life.”
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Today, Chouinard serves as executive chef, leading menu development, creating specials and overseeing all food and beverage production. Di Nicola, as executive sous chef, manages the kitchen staff directly, ensures the à la carte restaurant is fully prepared and oversees the seamless execution of banquet events. Together, they lean on years of teamwork and the skills they first learned in ProStart to create remarkable dishes, driven by a shared vision of success.
“We have been competing together as well as working alongside one another for so long. The biggest benefit of that is being able to know exactly what our vision is collectively. It truly is a tag-team effort,” Chouinard said.
They both proudly share that ProStart was an instrumental part of their lives, opening many doors and providing endless career possibilities. Both Chouinard and Di Nicola continue to give back to the program that gave so much to them. In 2025, Chouinard returned to judge the ProStart Invitational.
With thriving careers and a deep gratitude to ProStart for much of their success, Chouinard and Di Nicola exemplify how the program is far more than cooking. It’s an empowering, career-defining course that fuels passion for the industry and paves the way to culinary success.
“We have been competing together as well as working alongside one another for so long. The biggest benefit of that is being able to know exactly what our vision is collectively. It truly is a tag-team effort,” Chouinard said.
They both proudly share that ProStart was an instrumental part of their lives, opening many doors and providing endless career possibilities. Both Chouinard and Di Nicola continue to give back to the program that gave so much to them. In 2025, Chouinard returned to judge the ProStart Invitational.
With thriving careers and a deep gratitude to ProStart for much of their success, Chouinard and Di Nicola exemplify how the program is far more than cooking. It’s an empowering, career-defining course that fuels passion for the industry and paves the way to culinary success.
For more information about how to get connected to MHF, visit our website at mihf.org or email Amanda Smith at [email protected]
