| For Immediate Release |
Contact: Adriane De Ceuninck
|
March 19, 2013
|
(517) 482-5244 |
STUDENTS FROM PLYMOUTH-CANTON AND COLDWATER TRIUMPH AT
MICHIGAN PROSTART® COMPETITION
Winning Teams Headed to Baltimore, MD, for National Invitational
LANSING, MI – The Michigan Restaurant Association Educational Support Foundation (MRA ESF) is pleased to announce that it will be sending the culinary team from Plymouth-Canton Educational Park in Canton and the management/entrepreneurship team from Branch Area Careers Center in Coldwater to compete in the 12th Annual National ProStart® Invitational in Baltimore, Maryland. Both teams took first place in their respective disciplines at the Michigan ProStart Competition held on March 17 and 18, 2013, at the Lexington Hotel in Lansing.
Fifty-five (55) teams representing nineteen (19) career and technical centers from across Michigan competed in four disciplines during the two-day event: culinary, management/entrepreneurship, nutrition/marketing, and knowledge bowl. Industry professionals as well as leading college and university instructors observed and rated all portions of the competition.
“We’re so proud of all the teams in this year’s competition,” said Ken Wasco, MRA ESF Board Chairman. “They represent the brightest and best talent from across the state and truly are tomorrow’s industry leaders. The winners will serve as ambassadors of the State of Michigan’s foodservice industry at the National Invitational, and we are confident they will represent our state well.”
The winning culinary team, Plymouth-Canton Educational Park (Canton), prepared a three-course meal – a tribute to pork appetizer (pancetta, ham shank, and pork belly with apple, fig, beet, and celery), a vegetarian multigrain risotto strudel for the entrée, and a pear mousse with hazelnut cake for dessert. The team had one hour and only two butane burners to complete their meal.
Branch Area Careers Center (Coldwater), the winning management/entrepreneurship team, developed a comprehensive plan for a quick-casual restaurant featuring a menu with traditional comfort foods with a healthy twist. They made a verbal presentation and applied critical thinking skills to questions about challenges restaurant managers face in day-to-day operations.
The winner of the ServSafe Knowledge Bowl was SWWC @ Saline (Saline). The winner of the inaugural Nutrition/Marketing component was also Plymouth-Canton Educational Park (Canton).
The top teams divided more than $300,000 in scholarships to help the students pursue careers in the foodservice industry.
The Michigan ProStart Competition owes a great deal of its success to its generous sponsors. The culinary discipline was sponsored by Sysco of Michigan and the management/entrepreneurship discipline was sponsored by Gordon Food Service. PepsiCo sponsored the Nutrition/Marketing discipline and Lake Michigan College sponsored the ServSafe Knowledge Bowl. Other sponsors included: Ansara Restaurant Group, Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, BIGGBY Coffee, Coca-Cola, Cracker Barrel, DTE Energy, Ecolab, Harbor Restaurants, Mercer, US Foods, and Valley City Linen.
The final standings for the Michigan ProStart Competition 2013:
Culinary Discipline
First Place – Plymouth-Canton Educational Park; Canton, MI
Second Place – Saginaw Career Complex; Saginaw, MI
Third Place – LISD Tech Center; Adrian, MI
Fourth Place – Capital Area Career Center; Mason, MI
Fifth Place – Calhoun Area Career Center; Battle Creek, MI
Management/Entrepreneurship Discipline
First Place – Branch Area Careers Center; Coldwater, MI
Second Place – Plymouth-Canton Educational Park; Canton, MI
Third Place – Capital Area Career Center; Mason, MI
Fourth Place – Calhoun Area Career Center; Battle Creek, MI
Fifth Place – SWWC @ Saline; Saline, MI
Nutrition/Marketing Discipline
First Place – Plymouth-Canton Educational Park; Canton, MI
Second Place – Capital Area Career Center; Mason, MI
Third Place – West Shore ESD; Ludington, MI
Fourth Place – Clare-Gladwin RESD; Clare, MI
Fifth Place – Van Buren Technology Center; Lawrence, MI
ServSafe Knowledge Bowl
First Place – SWWC @ Saline; Saline, MI
Second Place – Saginaw Career Complex; Saginaw, MI
Third Place – Plymouth-Canton Educational Park; Canton, MI
Fourth Place – Capital Area Career Center; Mason, MI
Fifth Place – Van Buren Technology Center; Lawrence, MI
ProStart is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders. In Michigan, 66 high schools and career centers use the ProStart curriculum with more than 4,900 students participating. For more information about ProStart, contact Amanda Smith at 800.968.9668, visit michiganrestaurant.org/prostart, or find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The Michigan Restaurant Association (MRA) is the recognized leader of Michigan's hospitality industry, providing essential services to the foodservice community. Founded in 1921, the MRA represents nearly 4,500 Michigan foodservice establishments. The industry plays an integral role in Michigan's economy, employing more than 390,000 people and creating more than $13.1 billion in annual sales.
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