Top ProStart Culinary Teams to Compete in Junior Iron Chef Oregon Competition

[Wilsonville, OR] – Three of Oregon’s top high school culinary teams from the Oregon Restaurant Association’s ProStart Hospitality Program will participate in the Junior Iron Chef Oregon competition on August 10, 2008 at The Bite of Oregon. Competing on center stage are ProStart students from Bend High School, South Salem High School, and McMinnville High school led by ProStart Teachers Louise Markland, Chris Neuffer and Carolyn Nyquist.

Junior Iron Chef Oregon is a competition featuring the top culinary teams from ORA’s ProStart program. Each participating team will have 60 minutes to plan, prepare and serve an entrée to a panel of judges using a secret ingredient unveiled at the beginning of the challenge.

Teams will each have an identical mock kitchen stocked with utensils as well as a pantry loaded with ingredients such as flour, sugar, fruits, vegetables and seasonings. Preparation will take place on the SYSCO Oregon Chef Stage in front of festival attendees and a panel of local expert judges. At the end of the competition, the judges will rank the teams and their entrées on the quality of preparation and flavor, kitchen skills, originality and presentation.

The winners of Junior Iron Chef Oregon will each receive a coveted Ken Onion paring knife and case.

ProStart is a two-year curriculum designed to teach students the culinary and management skills needed for a career in the foodservice industry. Selected students participate in paid internships where they are mentored by industry managers and trained to compete in both state and national competitions.

For more information about the ProStart program, visit www.ora.org or contact ProStart and Events Manager Misty Arrambide at misty@ora.org or 800-462-0619. For more information about The Bite of Oregon, visit www.biteoforegon.com.