Austin, Texas – For the first time, students enrolled in Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation FS Prep culinary arts programs in high schools across Texas are eligible to compete in the ultimate high school culinary competition, the National ProStart Invitational.
Currently 26 teams have signed up to participate in the regional culinary competitions in Dallas, Houston and Austin in January and February. Seven management teams will compete at the same time the winning regional culinary teams are competing in the state competition at the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin in March.
Each year more than $1 million in scholarships is awarded to winning culinary and management teams by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, The Coca-Cola Company and many leading colleges and universities.
“We are very excited that Texas FS Prep students are competing for the first time in these competitions,” said Dean McSherry, Preferred Restaurant Management Group and TRA Education Foundation chairman. “This is a great showcase for our outstanding culinary arts students and will be a wonderful experience for all teams involved.”
Teams participating in the culinary competition must demonstrate their creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal in only 60 minutes. Teams participating in the management competition demonstrate their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing a restaurant proposal, delivering a verbal presentation, and applying critical thinking skills to challenges managers face in day-to-day operations.
Regional Competitions
Dallas – January 23 – Le Cordon Bleu, Dallas
Houston – February 20 – Westside High School, Houston
Austin – February 27- Texas Culinary Academy, Austin
Texas State Competition
Texas Culinary Academy – March 6 – Austin
National ProStart Invitational
Overland Park, Kansas April 28 – May 2
The FS Prep/ProStart Regional Competitions are supported by the following partners: US Foodservice, Auto-Chlor, Preferred Restaurant Services, Tyson, Edward Don, Texas Beef Council, Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Schools and Claes and Greenoe Marketing Group.
For media credentials for any of the Texas competitions, please contact Yvonne Loya at 512-457-4100 or yloya@tramail.org.
Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation:
It is the mission of the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation to serve as the resource arm of the restaurant industry by maintaining educational programs and enhancing the industry’s image to benefit local communities, the state and the foodservice industry. www.restaurantville.com.
