South Salem H.S. Takes Top Honors at Oregon ProStart Culinary Event
ORLA’s ProStart® H.S. Championships Showcased Students’ Talent and Passion
February 21, 2012 - Wilsonville, OR
The 2012 ORLA ProStart High School Culinary Championships held February 18 in Portland culminated with the first place team, South Salem High School, taking home the coveted Boyds Coffee® Culinary Cup and earning a trip to the National ProStart Student Invitational®. South Salem took first in the overall competition where 92 culinary students representing 23 high schools competed in the statewide event. ProStart, administered by Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) through its Education Foundation is a two-year, culinary arts and restaurant management education program for high school students.
“Oregon’s ProStart program provides students with more than just culinary skills, it opens doors and fosters a real passion for the industry” says Katy Boyd Dutt, director of marketing, Boyd Coffee Company. “Boyds Coffee is proud to be a longtime partner with ORLA in supporting the ProStart program. The excellence, discipline and teamwork these kids are learning clearly have a positive impact on their lives - and it’s a great thing to be a part of as a sponsor.”
Culinary teams of four were challenged to create a three-course meal in one hour, using only two butane burners all while under the scrutinizing eyes of industry professionals as competition judges. Teams were scored on a number of criteria including teamwork, knife skills, safety and sanitation, poultry fabrication, menu presentation and meal taste.
South Salem’s winning menu featured King Crab set atop wonton towers filled with marinated tofu and served with sautéed Shiitake mushrooms as a starter. The entrée was a beautifully presented pan seared Oregon Ling Cod served on yellow fingerling potatoes with shallots, bacon and pea cream sauce. Dessert consisted of a flourless chocolate cake infused with Tahitian vanilla bean served with a crisp nougatine wafer, blood orange segments, and crème and pomegranate syrup.
The team from South Salem will head to the 11th Annual National ProStart Invitational® April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Maryland. Travel to Nationals is supported by our sponsor, Bon Appetit Management Co., and ORLA’s Education Foundation. Our state champions receive scholarships from local culinary schools. Winners of the national competition receive scholarships to be used toward furthering their culinary education.
This marks the fifth time South Salem has taken top honors in this competition. Second place this year was secured by McMinnville High School followed by Grants Pass High School (third place) and Mountain View High School (fourth place). Lora Wells of Westview High School was named ProStart Teacher of the Year, Andrea Phillips (chef mentor for Tualatin H.S.) received the Mentor of the Year Award and ProStart Student of the Year was aptly awarded to Jordan Selby of North Eugene High School.
Oregon high schools that competed in this year’s event included: Century, Colton, Crook County, Grants Pass, Liberty, McMinnville, Mountain View, Nestucca, Newberg, North Eugene, North Medford, North Salem, Sam Barlow, Seaside, Siuslaw, South Medford, South Salem, Taft, Tillamook, Tualatin, Westview, and Willamette.
The event was made possible by the support of several major sponsors including: Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts as the Oregon ProStart Program Presenting Sponsor; Boyd Coffee Company as the Oregon ProStart Culinary Championships Presenting Sponsor; Bon Appétit Management Company as the State Champions Sponsor; and Oregon Culinary Institute as the Continuing Education Sponsor. Major supporting sponsors of the event included: Aramark, Bargreen Ellingson, ChefWorks, DWA Show Decorators, Mercer Tool, Portland Expo Center and SimplexGrinnell.
For more information on how you can get involved or sponsor Oregon’s ProStart program, contact Jami Scott, ORLA ProStart coordinator, at 503.682.4422 or visit ORLA’s website.