ORLAEF’s ProStart Invitational

ORLAEF'S PROSTART INVITATIONAL
SPONSORED BY SYSCO

Monday, March 18, 2019 | Salem Convention Center

Nine Schools Competed in ORLA Education Foundation’s Statewide Competition Showcasing the Hospitality Industry’s Future Chefs

The challenge for the student chefs was to prepare a three-course gourmet meal with only two butane burners in under an hour. Willamette High School pulled this off with excellence, winning top honors in the culinary competition at the ORLAEF ProStart Invitational, sponsored by Sysco Portland. The team from South Salem High School took first in the management team competition. Both first place teams will head to the 2019 National ProStart Invitational® May 8-10, 2019, in Washington, D.C.

> See ORLAEF's Flickr page for photos

Final results for the culinary competition:

First Place: Willamette High School
Second Place: McNary High School
Third Place: North Salem High School
Fourth Place: Seaside High School
Fifth Place: McMinnville High School

Final results for the management competition:

First Place: South Salem High School
Second Place: Century High School
Third Place: Willamette High School

ProStart awards presented at the event:

Oregon ProStart Student of the Year – Shane Wilder, Willamette High School
Oregon ProStart Mentor of the Year – Irina Bakun, McNary High School
Oregon ProStart Teacher of the Year – Chef Laura Hofer, South Salem High School

“It is with great pleasure Sysco Portland is once again the leading sponsor of the ORLAEF ProStart program,” said Bobbie McDonald, Vice President of Merchandising & Marketing at Sysco Portland. “These young culinarians from our state are building skills that are foundational to their careers in the hospitality industry. This year we are extremely excited to announce the additional support of honoring two students with a scholarship to help guide them on their culinary journey.”

The event was hosted by the Education Foundation of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLAEF) on March 18, 2019 in Salem, Oregon.

Every spring students put their skills to the ultimate test at the ORLAEF’s ProStart® Invitational, the capstone event for the career and technical education (CTE) foodservice training program, ProStart.

The top three teams in each competition receive awards and scholarships to further their careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Total scholarship prizes offered for both culinary and management team winners placing 1st-3rd exceeds $547,500! Every student on first place teams earns scholarships at each of six schools with a total value of $23,000.

2019 RESOURCES

Or ProStart News

Past Event Photos

About the Event
High school ProStart teams from across Oregon gather to compete in two distinct events: the Culinary Competition and the Management Competition.

Management Competition - Teams develop a concept for a new restaurant and present it to judges from industry and post-secondary education. Students are evaluated on their concept, marketing strategies, menu, recipes and food costs, operations and critical thinking skills.
Culinary Competition - Teams develop a unique menu for a three-course meal, complete with recipes and food costs, and prepare that meal in 60 minutes using two butane burners—with no electricity or running water. They are evaluated on their menu, degree of difficulty, food safety and sanitation, knife skills, cooking procedures, food costing, teamwork, taste and presentation of their meal.

The event is produced by ORLA’s Education Foundation and made possible by the generous contributions from sponsors.

Thank you to our 2019 sponsors to date: