Latest News
Louisiana ProStart Champs Head to National Invitational
Sponsored by TABASCO Brand & Zea Rotisserie & Grill
May 2, 2025
The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) and its Education Foundation proudly announce that two Louisiana ProStart teams captured state championships and are headed to the 2025 National ProStart Invitational (NPSI) in Baltimore, MD. In thrilling competitions held March 19–20 in New Orleans, ProStart students from across the Louisiana showcased their talents and commitment to the restaurant industry. The Ascension Parish ProStart Culinary Team and the Chalmette High School Management Team won their respective contests and will represent Louisiana at the NPSI, where over 400 students will compete on May 2–4, 2025 at the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront.
“Seeing our ProStart students in action is inspiring,” said Stan Harris, President & CEO of the LRA and the LRAEF and Past Chair/Trustee of the NRAEF. “These students have shown incredible engagement and commitment to the learning about the restaurant industry. The ProStart curriculum, combined with mentorship from local industry professionals, equips them with real-world skills. We know they are ready to shine on the national stage, and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish at the NPSI.”
The BRG Hospitality Culinary Competition (March 19) was an intense, Iron Chef-style challenge. Twenty-four ProStart teams had one hour and two butane burners to create a three-course gourmet meal. Judging criteria included food safety, knife skills, creativity, presentation and teamwork. Ascension Parish ProStart – under instructor Traci Hymel – took first place. The team (students Olivia Jarreau, Ty Landaice, Brea Bailey, Caroline Palmer and Esther Chen) impressed the judges with an award-winning menu featuring:
Appetizer: Jicama Salad with Louisiana Grilled Shrimp
Entrée: Beef Filet with Blackberry Agrodolce, Potatoes and Root Vegetables
Dessert: Lemon Pot de Crème
On March 20, the Raising Cane’s Management Competition saw 11 teams pitch original restaurant concepts Shark Tank-style. Teams were evaluated on their menu concept, business strategy, marketing plan and problem-solving. The Chalmette High School team – led by instructor Elena Hodges and students Asma Askar, Norman Morales, Kamryn Simon, Lily Vu and Denim Bell – won first place with their concept “LaStrada,” a Creole-Italian fusion restaurant.
Both winning teams advance to the National ProStart Invitational, the country’s premier high school restaurant management and culinary competition. Teams will be judged by top industry professionals, and the top five teams in each category will earn scholarships to leading culinary and hospitality programs.
Special thanks to National Travel Team Sponsors Tabasco Brand and Zea Restaurants, who are covering the Louisiana teams’ travel expenses—airfare, lodging and competition apparel.
"At Zea, travel and shared experiences inspire everything we do — and supporting these talented ProStart students is a natural extension of that spirit, said Greg Reggio, Chef and Owner, Zea Restaurants & Taste Buds Management. “They’re at the start of their culinary journeys, fueled by curiosity, passion, and a drive to connect through food. We're proud to help bring their dreams to life and give them the opportunity to shine on a national stage.”
Thanks to the LRAEF Annual Partners: Louisiana Seafood, The Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Baton Rouge Epicurean Society, Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Louisiana Restaurant Association, Auto-Chlor System, Acme Oyster House, Zea Restaurants, Sysco, Atmos Energy, Louisiana Hospitality, BRG Hospitality, TABASCO NRA Educational Foundation, Octavio Matilla Family Trust, PJ’s Coffee, Fore!Kids Foundation, Taco Bell/B&G Foods, Natco Food Service, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, UNO HRT, Coca-Cola Bottling Company-UNITED, Republic National Distributing Company, and QED Hospitality.
The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization that was founded in 1995 and is governed by a board of directors made up of restaurants, industry experts and educators in the hospitality industry. The LRAEF exists to enhance the industry's service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities. The three main programs that LRAEF offers are: ProStart, a high school culinary and restaurant management program; the LRAEF Scholars, which provides scholarships to students pursuing a degree in culinary arts or hospitality; and the Restaurant Youth Registered Apprenticeship, which is an earn as you learn program.