Culinary, hospitality competition will showcase high school students’ skills

Sixty-four aspiring chefs and restaurateurs from high schools across Washington will compete in the ProStart Invitational on March 10 at Spokane’s Hotel RL at 303 W. North River Drive.

The students will have 60 minutes to create a three-course meal using only butane burners. Winners will earn scholarships and the chance to advance from the statewide competition to the national level.

ProStart is a two-year hospitality program offered at high schools nationwide. The career and technical education program teaches culinary techniques and restaurant management skills to high school students.

In Washington, the program has more than 1,500 students per year. After completing the program, students receive a certificate of achievement they can show to potential employers when they enter the labor force.

“ProStart is our window into the future leadership of our restaurant industry,” said Barbara Richardson, co-chair of the Spokane Chapter of the Washington Hospitality Association. “We get to see and connect with the upcoming talent. These students enter the workforce with culinary and management skills that help them climb the career ladder.”

Students participating in the ProStart program study the culinary arts, learning about flavor profiles, presentation, storage practices, nutrition, business math and the importance of workplace and food safety.

Spokane area high schools sending competitors to the March 10 competition include Ferris, Lewis and Clark, Rogers, North Central, West Valley, Mead and Mt. Spokane.