Deadlines this Month:
October 3
- ProStart Competition Application Closes
October 10
- FRLAEF Regional Workshop (UCF on 11/19) Registration Ends–One Spot Left!
October 17
- Universal Orlando Handheld Entries Due
ProStart Culinary Team Competitions
The 24th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competitions will take place Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21, 2026 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.
On Friday, February 20, most of the Culinary Teams and Management Teams will compete along with all Edible Centerpiece teams. On Saturday, February 21 the remaining Culinary and Management teams will compete along with all of the Waiter’s Relay Teams. The competition will be followed by an awards dinner at the Rosen Plaza Hotel.
STIPEND FOR COMPETING SCHOOLS The FRLAEF will provide stipends to offset the cost of participating in the event. The stipend will be $425 per competition with a school receiving a total of $1700 for competing in all four events.
RULES The rules are now available on our competition page here.
HOTEL The Rosen Plaza Hotel will be the host site for the 2026 ProStart Culinary Team Competitions. The room rate at the Rosen Plaza is $159 per night. To reserve hotel rooms contact the Rosen Plaza at 800-627-8258 and reference the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association. The deadline to make hotel reservations is Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Do not wait to book your rooms! You may always adjust your reservation as the event gets closer.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY!
The application deadline is Friday, October 3, 2025. Applicants will be notified their status mid-October.
2025 COMPETITION PHOTOS
2025 COMPETITION VIDEO
Additional Videos: Martin County Overall and a Waiter’s Relay Conversation with Ridgeview HS and an Edible Centerpiece Conversation with George Jenkins HS Student
FRLAEF Regional Workshops
The FRLAEF is offering six Regional Workshops this fall. ProStart teachers may bring up to five students to each event. There is no fee to attend a Regional Workshop which includes lunch and chef coats for participating ProStart students. Travel to and from Regional Workshops is at your own expense.
If Regional Workshops reach maximum capacity prior to the deadline, all subsequent schools will be placed on the waiting list. Most events begin at 8:30 am and conclude no later than 2:00 pm.
EVENT DATES |
|
| Keiser University | UCF Rosen |
| 9/18, Melbourne | 9/24 |
| 10/3, Tallahassee | 10/29 |
| 10/16, Sarasota | 11/19 |
Please do not register for more than one event. We only have space for first-time attendees at each event, so register for the event you are most interested in attending. If you are interested in another event, let us know and we will send you the link for the Waiting List.
GO TO REGIONAL WORKSHOP PAGE
The page contains details and registration links for all events.
Universal Orlando Handheld Food Competition
FRLA and UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality are excited to announce the 4th Annual Universal Orlando Handheld Food Competition. This event will take place in three stages with the winning item
placed on the menu in one of Universal Orlando’s properties. The first stage of the event will consist of teams submitting their menus and recipes. The top ten entries will then be selected to compete in-person at UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality. The third and final stage of the competition will be the top three teams competing at UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality where the winning item will be selected.
STAGE ONE: All entry paperwork due by October 17, 5:00 pm
STAGE TWO: Top 10 selected teams to Orlando on December 2, 2025.
STAGE THREE: Top 3 selected teams cook and present handheld in Orlando on February 3, 2026.
You may use any equipment you want as there are no restrictions concerning electric or battery-operated devices. For the in-person stages, we will discuss the equipment provided in the kitchens to ensure teams have everything they need. For the first stage, make sure EVERYTHING is correct in your recipes which includes math, measurements, etc. as the judges will be looking at every detail. For the first stage, these details may determine if you advance to the second stage. Finally, a handheld item does not necessarily mean it must be eaten while walking around a theme park. It may be better to think along the lines of an item that can be eaten without utensils.
CLICK HERE for complete competition rules and to apply.
Mini Grants
The FRLAEF Board will meet in October to award Mini Grants based on your applications. Laura Rumer will email your award amount along with instructions how to purchase your item(s) no later than October 22. If your item(s) were not approved, the Board will set aside some funds for you to resubmit. Laura will email you those details and work with you to find another item if needed.
News from UCF Rosen College
Campus Refurbishment and Campus Tour Update
Our neighborhood is changing, and so are we. With brand new hotels and restaurants popping up all around us (plus a new theme park in our backyard!), UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management is right in the middle of the action. So, not to be outdone, we’re getting a refresh of our own with new spaces and learning environments fit for the heart of hospitality.
While campus renovations are underway, we’re offering live virtual sessions where students can explore what life at Rosen College is really like. You’ll hear from current students, find out what’s happening in the hospitality industry around us, and see why we were just ranked #1 in the world for hospitality and hotel management by CEOWorld Magazine.
This session is for students interested in pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Entertainment Management, Event Management, Hospitality Management, Lodging and Restaurant Management, or Theme Park & Attraction Management. Join us online and see what’s new, what’s coming, and why now is the perfect time to be part of Rosen College — because their story starts here.
*In-person campus tours are not available during the renovations to campus.
Application Information:
Freshman applicants are encouraged to apply to UCF through the Early Action Process. Visit https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/freshman/ for details about the admissions criteria. The Early Action Application Deadline is October 15th. The Materials Deadline is November 15th. Early Action Decision Notification Date is December 5th.
Virtual Prospective Student Information Sessions are offered on select Wednesdays at 4 p.m. Visit https://www.ucf.edu/admissions/undergraduate/info-sessions/#live-info-session-prospective to register for an upcoming session.
NRAEF Data Survey is Open
The Annual NRAEF Data Survey is open. All Florida ProStart instructors were emailed a link to take their survey or a link to register at the site. If you did not receive a link, please email Amy Parker at [email protected].
Why complete the data survey? Completing the annual survey ensures that your school is considered a confirmed ProStart program for the 2025-26 school year. That means…
- Competition Eligibility: Only confirmed programs can compete on a state and National level.
- Grants: Only confirmed programs are eligible to apply for grants like the Rachael Ray Grow Grant or the grant to attend the NRAEF’s annual ProStart Professional Development course or apply for a Florida ProStart Mini Grant.
- COAs: The Certificate of Achievement portal in MyProStart is only open to educators and students from confirmed ProStart programs.
The survey closes on November 6, but don’t wait! All survey completers will receive $800 in free foodsafety training from the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Ed Foundation.
News from Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Hospitality and Tourism Management Program is located in one of America’s largest and best colleges of business and is ranked #9 by intelligent.com. 
Potential career areas have diverse offerings across the entire spectrum of hospitality, services industries, retail, and beyond. Our business school foundation provides the services skills to success in finance, entrepreneurship, sales and marketing, revenue optimization, operations in hotels/food/beverage/theme parks, human resources, tourism planning and real estate development, hospitality consulting, and virtually any area of the services business community.
Students who choose to major or minor in Hospitality and Tourism Management receive a broad management-based education following the core business curriculum. This base provides a platform of knowledge and a focus on improving one’s ability to successfully and profitably manage service-focused organization. Program coursework emphasizes experiential learning, critical thinking, operations, and strategy.
The Hospitality and Tourism Management program offers a number of niche certificates for those wishing to specialize in high demand areas of the overall hospitality industry. These include Meetings and Events Management, Club Management, and Hospitality and Tourism Management.
For more information, please visit us at:
https://business.fau.edu/departments/marketing/hospitality-management/
Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show takes place November 11-13 in Orlando.
PROSTART INSTRUCTORS
ProStart teachers may use the following complimentary code to register for the Show. Complimentary code: ANDREAVIP
Go Here and click on “Start Non-Member Registration”
PROSTART STUDENTS
Up to 10 ProStart students may attend the Show. However, there is a $30 fee per student and the following rules apply.
- Students may register at the rate of $30 per person.
- Each group of 5 students must be accompanied by a faculty member or chaperone (21+), and the group must remain with their chaperone at all times. Any students found unaccompanied on the show floor will be escorted back to the lobby and will have their badge voided with no refund. No more than 10 students will be permitted per school.
- If maximum student allotment is reached, student registration will be closed.
- Discount codes are not valid on Student Admission registrations and students will be required to show their ID to get their name badges.
To register your students, click the link above and enter the code STU2025
EDUCATION AT THE SHOW Forty-plus hours of education is included with your Show badge! Take advantage of the free education classes once you are at the Show. The schedule has not been set, but check for updates on THIS PAGE to plan your time at the Show to full advantage.
Hospitality Industry Internships
The Hospitality Industry Internship (HII) provides the opportunity for Florida ProStart & HTM instructors to work in a 
foodservice/lodging establishment for at least 40 hours. Once the required paperwork has been processed, the participant will receive a personal check for $600.
To qualify for an HII, the instructor must teach the ProStart curriculum during the 2025-2026 school year. If you are already employed at a restaurant or hotel, you MAY NOT use that site for your internship. The restaurant/hotel must be a new work experience for you, not somewhere you have worked before or used as an HII internship location.
The applicant must secure a position at a foodservice or lodging facility where a minimum of 40 hours of hands-on experience is guaranteed. The host location may pay the recipient but is not required to do so.
The FRLAEF will award 11 HII’s this school year on a first-come, first-served basis. So apply NOW! Work experience may begin once the applicant receives an award notification from the FRLAEF.
APPLY NOW!
Get 30% Off Crocs
The Crocs at Work Team has invited you and your ProStart students to take advantage of the Crocs at Work x ProStart Insider Program this year. THIS FLYER has the QR Code for the discount. The QR Code gives students and educators a 30% off Crocs at Work discount code which can be used on Crocs.com. All ProStart students and teachers are eligible.
Mobilize Challenge
Leigh Howlett, a ProStart instructor in Massachusetts at Old Colony Regional Technical Vocational High School, posted THIS CHALLENGE on Mobilize. Could be fun for any of you who have students that would like to boost their Tik Tok audience.
COA = JWU Credits
Any ProStart students who earn their ProStart Certificate of Achievement (COA) are now eligible to apply to Johnson & Wales University (JWU) and earn 10 to 13 semester credits! These credits fall under 8 different majors from the College of Food Innovation & Technology, and 3 different majors under the College of Hospitality Management.
If your students are planning on earning their COA and have an interest in majoring in culinary arts or hospitality, share this link with them: https://www.jwu.edu/prostart/index.html
FCCLA 2025-2026
Become a Premier ProStart School with Free ProStart Exam Materials
Teachers often ask how they can become Premier ProStart schools when they are doing everything required to be Full ProStart schools. In order to get to Premier, you must have at least one student earn the ProStart Certificate of Achievement (COA). If you have a student already working in the foodservice industry, this could be a pathway to get to Premier status. To earn their COA, students must:
- Work at least 400 hours in the foodservice industry
- Pass both Foundations exams
- Have their manager complete the Work Experience Checklist
For a detailed list and a how-to of these steps click here.
The FRLAEF offers free ProStart exam materials each year to Premier and Full ProStart schools. Once we have received a teacher’s Full Implementation contract you are free to request complimentary scantrons or online codes.
Complimentary ServSuccess Materials
ServSuccess is a stackable foodservice industry credential. The entry level certification is Certified Restaurant Professional (CRP). Individuals must have 400 hours of industry experience along with the ServSafe certification to be eligible to sit for the CRP. No training is required but five modules are offered.
If you would like to take the courses and/or the exam, email Amy Parker to let her know and she will get you signed up for free!
The link below will provide you with additional information on CRP.
Scholarships
The FRLAEF will award at least $65,000 in scholarships during the 2025-2026 school year. Each scholarship awarded will be in the amount of $2,000 and will be a one-time, non-
renewable scholarship.
To be eligible for this scholarship the applicant must:
- Be enrolled in a ProStart program in a Florida secondary school
- Be a graduating senior who will begin post-secondary education in 2026
- Be entering a culinary or hospitality post-secondary program
- Return a copy of their OFFICIAL high school transcript to FRLAEF by application deadline
APPLICATION TIMELINE The FRLAEF Scholarship application will become available in January NewsBites. The application deadline is April 10, 2026
The FRLAEF will conduct two ProStart Teacher Training events during summer 2026. Training will be held at the Keiser University Sarasota campus and at UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality in 
Orlando. Both events will begin on Tuesday evening and conclude at Friday lunch.
PROGRAM COST
The FRLAEF will cover the cost of all Florida ProStart instructors who will be teaching the ProStart curriculum during the 2025-2026 school year. Attendees will be responsible for their travel and some meals.
SAVE THE DATE
Attendees may choose from one of the trainings below when the registration link becomes available in March NewsBites.
June 16-19, 2026 UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality
June 2026 Keiser University, Sarasota