Shaping High School Students into Managers and Chefs with ProStart

ProStart is a nationwide, two-year hospitality program that develops culinary techniques and management skills in high school students. The industry-driven curriculum links classroom learning with hands-on experience to develop tomorrow's restaurant and foodservice leaders. Some components students learn include communication, customer service skills, business math and forecasting, workplace and food safety, nutrition and retrieving/ storage practices.

Students who complete 400 hours of industry work experience and pass both ProStart exams receive a nationally recognized Certificate of Achievement.

In March, students from ProStart teams competed in the South Carolina ProStart Invitational. Held March 8-10 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Greenville Golf Resort and Conference Center, this was their chance to showcase their skills and knowledge in a head-to-head competition against other schools.

Teams fell into two categories—culinary and management.

Management teams developed a proposal for the next promising restaurant concept and presented it to a panel of industry judges. Their problem-solving skills were tested as they quickly solved challenges faced daily by restaurant managers.

The culinary competition highlighted each team's creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal in 60 minutes—using only two butane burners without access to electricity or running water. Students were evaluated on taste, skill, teamwork, safety and sanitation.

The winners of the 2020 South Carolina ProStart Invitational were Anderson County Career and Technology Center (left; culinary) and The Center for Advanced Technical Studies (right; management).

Anderson County Career and Technology Center - First Place Culinary

The Center for Advanced Technical Studies - First Place Management