~ Wekiva High School Places Fourth in Management Nationally, Earns Thousands in Culinary Scholarships ~
Wekiva High School Winners and Florida ProStart Leaders Celebrate Fourth Place Win at NPSI
Additional Competition Photos for Both Schools Are Available Here
BALTIMORE, MD – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) proudly announces the success of its Florida teams at the 2025 National ProStart Invitational. Hosted by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF), the competition featured more than 400 top culinary and restaurant management students from 47 states and Washington, D.C. Ninety-six teams competed for $200,000 in scholarships and top honors.
Florida’s Wekiva High School (Apopka) took fourth place nationally in the restaurant management category, featuring their restaurant concept and full business plan for Sabor, a contemporary Mexican restaurant. They advanced to the national competition after winning first place at the state level Florida ProStart Competition. The team is comprised of Onyx Castillo, Zariah Edwards, Isaac Aristud, Aubrey Pugh, and Parker Masangkay, with faculty instructor Christopher Bates. For their win, each student earned up to $23,000 in scholarships to further their culinary education.
Strawberry Crest High School (Dover) placed 12th in the nation in the culinary competition, which included a three-course menu made in just an hour. The team included students Rubicel Lopez, Jadira Ipanaque, Savannah Heist, Sophia Reyes, and Riley Clark, with faculty instructor Paul Bonanno.
Their menu included burrata stack appetizer, which included fresh hand-crafted burrata cheese, balsamic reduction, breaded eggplant, fresh Campari tomato sauce, sauteed spinach, chiffonade basil, minced garlic, crispy prosciutto, and toasted pine nuts. The entrée featured a seared duck breast with goat cheese and porcini mushroom polenta, with sauteed brussels sprout leaves, julienned shallots, and pancetta, finished with a pomegranate balsamic reduction. Their dessert was hibiscus poached pear – a bosc pear poached in a spiced hibiscus syrup with orange pistachio mascarpone and mixed berry coulis.
“Congratulations to our teams for their strong showing at the National ProStart Invitational!” said Laura Rumer, Director of the FRLA Educational Foundation. “These competitions not only highlight our students’ skills, but also open doors through scholarships and national recognition. We are so proud of our amazing students and how well they represented Florida on the national stage.”
“As Florida’s leading industry, hospitality plays a vital role in our economy – and these exceptional high school students represent its bright future,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We are thrilled with their national success and honored to support their journey through ProStart. With the nation’s largest ProStart program, Florida continues to lead in hospitality education. Our young leaders have proven their talent and drive, and we look forward to the many ways they will shape the future of our industry.”
For that National Restaurant Association Press Release, click here.
Additional Competition Photos for Both Schools Are Available Here
About ProStart: ProStart is a nationwide high school career program educating nearly 150,000 students in culinary arts and restaurant management skills. Florida’s ProStart program is the largest in the nation with approximately 30,000 students enrolled annually. ProStart’s industry-driven curriculum provides real-world educational opportunities and sets a high standard of excellence for the industry’s next generation of leaders. Yearly, students compete on state and nation-wide levels to showcase skills learnt in their classroom kitchens.
About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association: The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Founded in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association, FRLA merged with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks, and suppliers. The association’s mission is to protect, educate, and promote Florida’s $111.7 billion hospitality industry which represents nearly two million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of its membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through SafeStaff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.
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