FRLAEF Regional Workshops–Register Now!
The FRLAEF is offering eight Regional Workshops this fall. ProStart teachers may bring up to five students to each event. 
There is no fee to attend a Regional Workshop. Lunch will be provided for all attendees at each event. Chef coats will be given to all participating ProStart students at each event. Travel to and from events 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. Two Regional Workshops have already reached capacity and have wait list so do not wait to register as space may not be available. Most events begin at 8:30 am and conclude no later than 2:00 pm.
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.
CLICK HERE for the Regional Workshop page with details and registrations links for each event.
ProStart Culinary Team Competitions
The 20th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competitions will take place Saturday, March 7–Sunday, March 8, 2020 at the Rosen 
Plaza Hotel in Orlando.
On Saturday, March 7, half of the Culinary Teams and Management Teams will compete along with all Edible Centerpiece teams. On Sunday, March 8, 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 the evening of Sunday, March 8.
STIPEND FOR COMPETING SCHOOLS The FRLAEF will provide stipends to offset the cost of participating in the event. Participating schools will receive $250 per event in which they compete.
RULES The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) has not released the rules to the Culinary and Management Competitions. Since Florida’s Culinary and Management Competitions mirror the national rules, we cannot release Florida’s competition rules until NRAEF releases the national rules. The Waiters Relay and the Edible Centerpiece competitions are unique events to Florida.
HOTEL The Rosen Plaza Hotel will be the host site for the 2020 ProStart Culinary Team Competitions. The room rate at the Rosen Plaza is $129 per night. The deadline to make hotel reservations is Tuesday, February 4, 2020. However, if the hotel sells out before the deadline then schools will have to find another option. Do not wait to book your hotel rooms. Do so now! You can always cancel or change your reservation.
To reserve hotel rooms, use THIS LINK or contact the Rosen Plaza at 800-627-8258 and reference the FRLAEF ProStart Competition Salute to Excellence.
PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE for the competition application. The application deadline is Friday, October 11, 2019. Applicants will be notified their status by Friday, October 18, 2019.
UCF Rosen News
We’re back on campus at UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management for the fall 2019 semester and so excited to turn up the heat on our new black and gold Hestan kitchen equipment (pictured below) in our remodeled culinary labs and in the brand new culinary lab. Our students are pumped and ready to Charge On as they train to be the future leaders of the food and beverage industry.
Faculty in our Foodservice & Lodging Management Department are gearing up for a new initiative called, “Adopt a ProStart Program”. We’ll be collaborating with ProStart teachers and high school students to build relationships and offer coaching and support, to deliver quality culinary management education and help students succeed at the ProStart competitions. We’re ready for the future Rosen Knights! Cooking up a great education!
CLICK HERE for more information on the degree program.
Osceola County Fair Cake Decorating Contest
The Osceola County Fair in Kissimmee is looking for ProStart schools to compete in their cake decorating contest in February 2020. The top three teams will receive prizes. They have not set a date for the competition, but the fair dates are February 14-23, 2020.
If you are interested in bringing a team, let us know!
Bartow High School
Last month, two ProStart instructors and four students from Bartow High School in Polk County visited the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando. The tour, given by one of the property’s chefs, included visiting the property’s working farm as well as the numerous kitchens. The Bartow group then observed Marriott’s Southeast Master of the Craft Competition. The competition pits Marriott employees against each other in two different competitions. The winners advance to Marriott’s National Master of the Craft Competition.
Mini Grants
The FRLAEF received 132 Mini Grant applications from HTMP and ProStart programs this year. Awards will be determined during the Ed Foundation Board meeting which will be held during the FRLA Show.
GRANT AWARD NOTIFICATION: September 20, 2019. If awarded, funds must be spent no later than November 15, 2019.
NRAEF Data Collection (Fall Survey)
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will continue its ProStart Data Collection this year. The survey will be on www.chooserestaurants.org. We will let everyone know when the survey is live.
Once you complete the survey, the FRLAEF will send you an email to request $350 worth of free foodsafety materials. This is on a first-come, first served basis, so complete your NRAEF survey as soon as possible.
Coast Guard Offers Signing Bonus to ProStart Students
The United States Coast Guard is now hiring culinary graduates and students who have real skills. They are offering a signing bonus of up to $40k for an AA in Culinary or Pastry Arts. The signing bonus for students with the National ProStart certification is $30k! If any of your students are interested, please have them contact CSC Andrew Rupp.
CSC Andrew Rupp is also available to visit your class to speak directly with the students. 
Please contact him directly to schedule a visit. If you don’t live in the Tampa area, he can arrange for a local CSC to visit your class. Click the flyers to enlarge.
CSC Andrew Rupp
Recruiting Office Tampa Bay
11022 4th ST N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
(o) 727-579-3849 ext 138
(c) 727-543-0601
(f) 727-579-8079
Hospitality Industry Internships
The Hospitality Industry Internship (HII) provides the opportunity for Florida ProStart & HTMP 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/HTMP curriculum during the 2019-2020 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 also 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.
CLICK HERE to apply.
Salute to Excellence Awards Dinner
The Salute to Excellence Awards will take place on Sunday, March 8, 2020 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando. The awards dinner will recognize all ProStart Competition, Pineapple Award, Scholarship recipients and Hospitality Excellence Awardees. Registration will begin in January 2020.
ProStart instructors will have the opportunity to recognize one student during the awards dinner with a Hospitality Excellence Award. These students will be called on stage during the awards dinner and recognized with a certificate.
All ProStart instructors may receive a complimentary ticket to the awards dinner. Hospitality Excellence Award students receive two complimentary tickets, one for them and one for a guest.
Complimentary Foodsafety Materials
Each Premier and Full ProStart program is eligible for free ServSafe or SafeStaff materials. To ensure you get the materials you need, you must notify us of your needs. Once we receive your ProStart Classification paperwork, you can order up to $350 of ServSafe/SafeStaff materials. Click here for the price list. Email Amy Parker to place your order–you do not need to fill out the form. Requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Complimentary ProStart Scantrons
The FRLAEF will distribute over $25,000 worth of free ProStart Exam Scantrons to Premier and Full ProStart schools during the 2019-2020 school year. Once a school has turned in their ProStart Classification paperwork, email Amy Parker to let her know how many ProStart Exam Scantrons you need. Requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Scholarships
The FRLAEF will award $44,000 in scholarships during the 2019-2020 school year. These scholarships will be awarded during the Salute to Excellence Awards in the Spring. The scholarship application will be available in late Fall.
The 24th Annual ProStart Teacher Training Institute will take place in June 21-26, 2020. The week-long training provides
Florida ProStart instructors with the knowledge necessary to teach the ProStart curriculum. Each day’s learning is built around topics covered in the ProStart curriculum.
LOCATION
All classes will be held at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) North Miami campus, 1701 NE 127th Street, North Miami, Florida, 33181.
PROGRAM COST
The FRLAEF will cover the cost of all Florida ProStart instructors who will be teaching the ProStart curriculum during the 2020-2021 school year. Attendees will be responsible for their travel and some meals.
REGISTRATION
Online registration will begin Spring 2020.