Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Communications Director
850.224.2250 x255
ERay@FRLA.org
Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Educational Foundation Announces Winners of 15th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competition
49 Florida High Schools Participated in Hospitality Event in Orlando
(TALLAHASSEE, FL)—The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) announced the winners of the 15th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competition which was held Friday, February 27 and Saturday, February 28, 2015 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.
A total of 49 schools participated in the competition with 16 schools winning top awards throughout the day’s events. More than $800,000 in scholarships was distributed to the winning schools. All winners and participants are a part of Florida’s ProStart program which is a career technical education program where high school students learn from an industry-derived curriculum that teaches culinary techniques and restaurant management skills. More than 20,000 students from across the state are enrolled in the program. The four main event competitions included: the Cracker Barrel Management Competition, the Johnson & Wales University Culinary Competition, the Keiser University Edible Centerpiece Competition, and the Coca-Cola Company Waiters Relay Competition.
Tarpon Springs High School won first place in the overall competition. Eastside High School in Gainesville took home second place in the overall competition, with Leto High School in Tampa placing third. For photos of the event, please click here.
“We wish heartfelt congratulations to all of our winners and participants in this year’s competition. We were truly impressed with the incredible caliber of talent, which included young hospitality industry all-stars from across our great state. FRLAEF is the only organization in Florida that offers the ProStart program and we are proud to help bolster the quality and employability of today’s high school graduates by providing them with school-to-career training. We look forward to their successes and are thrilled to provide them more opportunities for foodservice and lodging careers, and higher education,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Overall Competition Winners
First Place
Tarpon Springs High School
Instructor: Cathleen Ryan
Second Place
Eastside High School
Instructor: Billie DeNunzio
Third Place
Leto High School
Instructor: Debra Hladky
Fourth Place *tie*
J.P. Taravella High School
Instructor: Scott Goodman
East Ridge High School
Instructors: Lucressie McGriff and Ken Pitts
Fifth Place
Seabreeze High School
Instructor: Samantha Crouch
Johnson & Wales University Culinary Competition
Participating teams demonstrated their creative abilities during the competition through the preparation of a meal consisting of: starter (such as soup, salad or appetizer), protein (such as meat, fish or fowl), starch, vegetable, and dessert.
First Place
Leto High School
Instructor: Debra Hladky
Second Place
West Boca Raton High School
Instructor: Nancy Hall
Third Place
Eastside High School
Instructor: Billie DeNunzio
Fourth Place
Nassau County Career Ed
Instructor: Bill Castleberry
Fifth Place
Tarpon Springs High School
Instructor: Cathleen Ryan
Cracker Barrel Management Competition
Participating teams demonstrated their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing a business proposal for a new restaurant concept. The business proposal consisted of a defined restaurant concept, supporting menu, and supporting marketing plan. Teams prepared a comprehensive written proposal, verbal presentation and visual display.
First Place
Eastside High School
Instructor: Billie DeNunzio
Second Place *tie*
J.P. Taravella High School
Instructor: Scott Goodman
East Ridge High School
Instructors: Lucressie McGriff and Ken Pitts
Third Place
Tarpon Springs High School
Instructor: Cathleen Ryan
Fourth Place*tie*
Estero High School
Instructor: Jan Doten
South Lake High School
Instructors: John Thunberg and Candace Huxhold
Fifth Place
John A. Ferguson School
Instructor: Janett Toledo
Keiser University Edible Centerpiece Competition
Participating teams demonstrated their creative ability during the competition through the preparation of an edible centerpiece consisting of fruits and vegetables. Contestants explained nutritional information, product availability, and preparation techniques.
First Place
Tarpon Springs High School
Instructor: Cathleen Ryan
Second Place *tie*
Steinbrenner High School
Instructor: Philip Meola
Jefferson High School
Instructor: David Hillard
Third Place
Columbia High School
Instructor: Cheryl Bender
Fourth Place
Bayside High School
Instructor: Stuart Gray
Fifth Place
Northeast High School
Instructor: John Beck
Coca-Cola Company Waiters Relay Competition
Participating teams demonstrated their ability to duplicate a table setting while racing against the clock.
First Place
Seabreeeze High School
Instructor: Samantha Crouch
Second Place
North Port High School
Instructors: Witold Bielak and Becky Halbert
Third Place
Cypress Creek High School
Instructor: Cynda Aron
Fourth Place
Winter Springs
High School Instructors: Adam Efland and Elizabeth Leh
Fifth Place
Tarpon Springs High School
Instructor: Cathleen Ryan
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About FRLA Educational Foundation (FRLAEF)
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association created the Educational Foundation in 1994. FRLAEF administers and executes two high school curriculums ‐ the National Restaurants Association’s (NRA) ProStart and the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) Lodging Management Program – in more than 240 Florida high schools and provides resources to nearly 25,000 students in these culinary arts and hospitality management programs. Scholarships, Teacher Training Institutes, Industry Certifications, Equipment Mini‐Grants and Industry Internships are just a few of the products and services the FRLAEF provides to these classrooms. For more information, please go to www.FRLA.org.