Breaking previous attendance records, more
than 2,500 people watched students from across
Oregon demonstrate their culinary and management
skills at the 2007 Oregon ProStart Championships
on Saturday at the Oregon Convention Center.
Nearly 200 students from 31 teams took part
in the entire two-part event. In the Boyds Coffee
Culinary Cup, student teams prepared a three-course
gourmet meal in one hour in “Iron Chef”
fashion with only two burners and no electrical
equipment—under the watchful eye of celebrity
judges. The Western Culinary Management Challenge
engaged teams in a Knowledge Bowl that included
a case-study test and a “Jeopardy!"
style quiz.
The competitive spirit was fierce. Each sought
to bring home a winning title and also have
the opportunity to travel to Charlotte, NC to
compete in the national management and culinary
contests. That evening, more than 500 students,
family members, industry leaders and friends
filed into the Awards of Excellence banquet
as the excitement mounted to find out which
teams placed highest.
For the third year in a row, the Bend High
School management team won the first place Western
Culinary Institute Hospitality Management Championship
award, presented by Wendy Bennett, WCI Vice
President of Academic Affairs. In a stunning
ending, the Willamette High team ran to the
stage to receive the coveted first place Culinary
Cup award from Dick Boyd, co-CEO of Boyd Coffee
Company, presenting sponsor. Each will send
a team of four students to compete in the 6th
Annual National ProStart Student Invitational.
The teams will compete against over 30 qualifying
teams from across the country for a chance to
win the national title April 20-22, 2007 in
Charlotte, North Carolina.
2007
ProStart Championship Results
WESTERN
CULINARY MANAGEMENT CHAMPIONS
1st place – Bend High School - traveling
to Charlotte, NC for Nationals
2nd place – Dallas High School
3rd place – Willamette High School
Knowledge
Bowl:
1st place – Bend High School
2nd place – Dallas High School
3rd place – Willamette High School
Best Solution: (four winners
in equal standing)
Willamette High School
St. Helens High School
Sam Barlow High School
Bend High School
Most Professional: (four winners
in equal standing)
Taft High School
St. Helens High School
Sam Barlow High School
Bend High School
BOYDS
COFFEE CULINARY CUP
1st place – Willamette High School –
traveling to Charlotte, NC for Nationals
2nd place – South Salem High School
3rd place – Taft High School
Boyds
Coffee Culinary Cup Choice Awards:
BEST STARTER - South Salem
High School
BEST ENTRÉE - Taft
High School
BEST DESSERT - South Salem
High School
BEST USE OF NORTHWEST INGREDIENTS
- Bend High School
BEST PRESENTATION - Taft High
School
BEST TEAMWORK - Willamette
High School
Knife
Skills Competition:
1st place - Karina Garza of Bend High School
2nd place - Andrew John of McNary High School
3rd place - Levi Zachary of McKay High School
Darla Barton of McKay High School was named
“ProStart Inspirational Leader of the
Year” and will travel to Chicago, Illinois
to be recognized at a national event. Frank
Beber from Shadow Hills Country Club in Eugene
received the “ProStart Mentor of the Year”
award for his work with Willamette High School.
Kimber Mattox of Bend High School received the
2007 Unilever Foods Future Promise Award, which
recognizes the top ProStart student in the state.
The ProStart program, administered by the Oregon
Restaurant Education Foundation, is a two-year
curriculum designed to teach high school students
the management skills needed for a career in
the restaurant and foodservice industry. Students
also have the opportunity to participate in
paid internships where industry managers mentor
them. When students meet academic standards,
complete a checklist of competencies, and participate
in at least 400 hours of a mentored work experience,
they are awarded the ProStart National Certificate
of Achievement that signifies they are well
qualified to enter the industry workforce.
“It is so exciting to see our students
take what they’ve learned in the classroom
and apply it in this competition,” said
ProStart director and competition organizer
Dawn Tryon. “Knowledge, skill, dedication
and teamwork are key factors of success at this
competition, and it’s these qualities
that build a solid foundation for a bright career
in the restaurant and foodservice industry.”
Event supporters include Association of Catering
& Event Professionals, Bon Appetit, Coca
Cola North America, Martin Hospitality, Mo's/Newport
Pacific, Oregon Lodging Association, OSF International/Old
Spaghetti Factory, Red Lobster, Sagebrush Classic,
Shari’s Management Corporation, Spirit
Mountain Casino, Unilever Food Solutions. In-kind
sponsors include Aramark, Bargreen Ellingson,
Benson Hotel, Boxer NW, Boyd Coffee Company,
ChefWorks, Courtyard by Marriott Lloyd Center,
Dexter Russell, DoubleTree Lloyd Center, DWA
Show Decorators, Embassy Suites Downtown, Food
Services of America, Heathman Hotel, Hilton
Portland, Hliton Garden Inn - Lake Oswego, Holiday
Inn Portland Downtown, Portland Marriott City
Center, Oregon Convention Center, Pacific Seafood,
Patrick Lamb Productions, Red Lion Convention
Center, Red Lion on the River, SimplexGrinnell,
SYSCO Food Services of Portland, Western Culinary
Institute and Westin Portland. All of these
industry partners provided assistance in making
the evening possible through their support.
To learn more about the ProStart program, please
visit www.oregonprostart.org or call 503-682-4422.
