Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers Louisiana ProStart Invitational to Take Place March 21-22

The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) will host the 18th Annual Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Louisiana ProStart® Invitational, March 21-22, 2019 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in Hall J. Under a multi-year partnership, Raising Cane’s has expanded its prior commitment to the Invitational.
 
There is over $1 million in scholarships available to students whose team places in the top five in both the culinary and management competitions.
 
“Our ProStart students pair our world renowned cuisine with the ProStart curriculum as well as creating their own vision for what the future restaurants in Louisiana will look like,” said Stan Harris, LRA President & CEO. “It is remarkable to see these students engage during the Invitational utilizing what they’ve learned in their ProStart classrooms that can help them find success in the restaurant industry or any career path—teamwork, presentation skills, communications and critical thinking. And while pursuing post-secondary education might be an option for some, our industry has an array of career paths that don’t require an advanced degree.”
 
ProStart is a national, two-year culinary arts and restaurant management curriculum for high school students that develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant industry leaders. By uniting the classroom and the industry, ProStart gives students a platform to discover new interests and talents and opens doors for fulfilling careers. Students who pursue the industry-based credential, the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF) Certificate of Achievement, must complete a 400-hour internship, where they use their classroom skills in industry roles. ProStart provides career pathways and a solid foundation for the varied career options offered in the restaurant and hospitality industry. The expansive possibilities are in multiple roles and disciplines in such a broad industry. Many LRA members serve as classroom mentors to ProStart students and provide work experience as well.  
 
The Invitational will showcase the culinary and academic talents of high school junior and senior ProStart students from 25 high schools across Louisiana. The invitational features two primary components: the Management Competition and the Culinary Competition. The Opening Ceremony begins Thursday, March 21 at 9 a.m. in Hall J.
 
During the Management Competition, Thursday, March 21 from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., teams will demonstrate their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing their own restaurant concept, including the menu, design, budget and marketing strategies which they present to a panel of judges similar to what an entrepreneur would pitch to a group of investors.
 
Judges include: Stephen Hightower, co-owner of City Pork Hospitality; Dr. Yvette Green, Director of the Lester Kabacoff School of Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism at UNO; Ryan Haro, general manager at Manning’s; Stephen Pate, general manager of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and Danny Caudle, Managing Partner at Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers; among others.

Teams participating in the Culinary Competition, Friday, March 22 from 8 a.m.-2:15 p.m. will demonstrate their creative teamwork and communication abilities through the preparation of a three-course, restaurant quality meal. Judges from the restaurant industry and post-secondary educational institutions will observe and measure their performance against the competition criteria.
 
Judges volunteering their time and expertise include: Chef Joshua Hebert of The Cabin & Bernadette’s Table; Billy Mick, general manager of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers; Chef Jason Goodenough, owner of Carrollton Market; Chef Marcelle Bienvenu, an instructor at Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University and Chef Owen Hohl of Hot Tails; among others. 
 
The Closing Awards Ceremony concludes the two-day event, Friday, March 22 at 3:30 p.m. in Hall J and will feature keynote speaker Robért LeBlanc, owner and creative director of LeBlanc + Smith, a boutique hospitality group which includes Meauxbar, Sylvain, Cavan, Barrel Proof and Longway Tavern.
 
“Raising Cane’s is the result of lots of hard work and passion. ProStart ignites those ideals in students making this program invaluable to the restaurant industry,” said Todd Graves, CEO, Fry Cook and Cashier, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. “The students participating in the Raising Cane’s ProStart Management Competition will pitch restaurant concepts and with their hard work, passion and the program’s foundation will become our next generation of restaurant leaders.”
 
The 2019 Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Louisiana ProStart Invitational also wishes to recognize the financial support of our Annual Partners: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Auto Chlor System, Acme Oyster House, Louisiana Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association Education Foundation, Louisiana Hospitality Foundation, Baton Rouge Epicurean Society, Performance Food Group, Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Fore!Kids Foundation, TABASCO®, PJ's Coffee, B & G Food Enterprises and Sysco. 
 
The participating schools in each competition are:
 
MANAGEMENT Competition
Academy of Our Lady
Chalmette High School
Donaldsonville High School
East St. John High School
Hammond High Magnet School
Lakeshore High School
North Vermilion High School
Saline High School
Sulphur High School
W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center
West Feliciana High School
West Monroe High School

CULINARY COMPETITION
Abbeville High School
Chalmette High School
Denham Springs High School
East Iberville High School             
Fontainebleau High School
Hammond High Magnet School
Jefferson Davis Parish ProStart
Lakeshore High School
Leesville High School
Live Oak High School
Morgan City High School
North Vermilion High School
Saline High School
Salmen High School
Slidell High School
St. Charles Satellite Center
Sulphur High School
W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center
West Feliciana High School   
West Monroe High School
West St. John High School
Woodlawn High School                

In addition to scholarships, the LRA provides airfare and accommodations for the first place culinary and management competition teams to represent Louisiana at the National ProStart Invitational, May 8-10, 2019 in Washington D.C.