FRLA INDUSTRY STARS
Florida’s hospitality industry is the finest in the country. Our restaurants, hotels, resorts, employees and hospitality students are the best of the best. This feature is a glimpse of all of the FRLA stars that have been recognized in 2015.
Former ProStart Student Heads Back to her Alma Mater We love hearing from our ProStart alumni! See how former Florida ProStart student Emily Rockwell is taking her ProStart experience full-circle after graduating summa cum laude from Le Cordon Bleu. This story reprinted with permission from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. How has ProStart made a difference in your life? What a difference in my life ProStart made! I did ProStart all four years of high school got certified in ServeSafe and competed my senior year in the Florida State ProStart invitational. Upon graduation from high school I went straight to college (fall of 2013) at Le Cordon Bleu Orlando. Two and a half years later I have now graduated summa cum laude from Le Cordon Bleu Orlando, becoming a Certified Culinarian through the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and am now employed by my alma mater as the High School Representative where I can be the inspiration and encouragement to students that my mentor Kareen Linton was to me. It was a High School Representative that brought me to Le Cordon Bleu 28 W I N T ER
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and now I get to be one. What a blessing. Keep chasing your dreams, guys, they are realistic! Who has influenced you the most in your education and career? My biggest fans in school were my chef instructors, especially Kareen Linton and Elizabeth Wessman.
and educating!
What advice would you give to current ProStart students looking to break into the restaurant industry? If I could encourage students with one thing it would be to network and get involved. Make that school your home and the people your family. Being involved in the industry and surrounding yourself with the professionals in the industry is very insightful, encouraging
What does the future hold? My ultimate goal and dream is to have my own TV show one day so that I can share my passion for food combined with my outgoing personality and share my food with the world. F LO R I DA R ESTAU R A N T & LO D G I N G A S SO CI AT I O N