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Press Release
For Immediate Release
February 28, 2007
Contact: Wendy Waren
Tel: (800) 256-4572
E-mail: wendyw@lra.org
LRA EDUCATION FOUNDATION PROSTART®
LEADERSHIP COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED
New Orleans—The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) hosted the 6th Annual ProStart® Leadership Competition, February 26 - 27, 2007 at the New Orleans Marriott. The competition showcased the culinary and academic talents of 118 ProStart® juniors and seniors from 19 high schools from across the Louisiana, and featured two primary components: the Gourmet Meal Competition and the Management Competition.
The winner of the Culinary Competition was Grace King High School in Metairie led by teacher Jeryl Fischtziur and students Owen Hohl, Jeremy Barlow and Jordan Coniglio. The second place team was Slidell High School led by teacher Anne Hunt and students Vernon Ducre, Austin Fachueaux, Brandi Mortrud and Dallas Johnson. The third place team was Hammond High School led by Patti Johnson and students Brandon Abelseth, Ashanti Dunn and Whitney Mayers.
The winner of the Management Competition was Thibodeaux High School led by teacher Christine Barrios and students Christopher Daigle, Mark Ordoyne, Lance Gros and Brent Daigle. The second place team was Mandeville High School led by teacher Carolyn Senac and students Jon Manning, Josh Morgan, Tyler Harper and Haley Amoroso. The third place team was Donaldsonville High School led by 2007 ProStart Teacher of the Year Angela Amedee and students Laquita Johnson, Christina Brown, Jalessa Smith and Bianca North.
Grace King High School and Thibodeaux High School will represent Louisiana in the National Restaurant Association ProStart Competition in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 20, 2007. Each member of both winning teams received a $1,000 scholarship to Johnson & Wales University. Each member of the second place teams received a $750 scholarship and third place teams received a $500 scholarship.
“These students represent future employees, managers and entrepreneurs of the restaurant industry, said Kelly Ponder, Executive Director for the LRAEF. “The knowledge and experience they acquire through the program, the required internship and the competition will significantly sharpen their business acumen.”
The Management Competition judges were Barry Blue, Chef Jan Rost, Chef Danny Trace, Dr. Yvette Green and Patrick Dettwiller. The Culinary Competition judges were Chef Greg Picard, Chef Eric Martinez, Chef Ricardo Fredricks, Glen Armantrout, Katy Casbarian, Melvin Rodrigue, Amy Nichols, Dr. Yvette Green, Carolyn Bombet, Brian Girardot, Joel Dondis, David Morris, Chef Brian Landry, Don Weems, Chef Miguel Michel and Lonnie Varisco.
Sponsors of the ProStart Competition were Acme Oyster House, Capitol City Produce, Glazer’s Companies of Louisiana, The Lester E. Kabacoff School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism of University of New Orleans, Notini’s Restaurant, LRA Northwest Chapter, Popeyes, New Orleans Marriott and Auto-Chlor Services.
The mission of the ProStart® program and competition is to increase student awareness of careers in the restaurant/foodservice industry and to provide the restaurant industry with a forum to present and recruit ProStart® students. Participating students complete a nationally-endorsed, dynamic and comprehensive curriculum which encourages them to learn all aspects of operating and managing a restaurant or foodservice establishment, in school and in structured hands-on worksites.
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