NYS High School ProStart Culinary and Management Winners Announced

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Southern Adirondack ProStart Culinary Competition Winners

ALBANY, NY (03/24/2009)(readMedia)--

Southern Adirondack & Ulster County BOCES Garner Top Honors in NYS ProStart Culinary & Management Competitions

On Saturday, March 14, Wegman's state-of-the-art culinary conference center was the site of the fifth Annual New York State Restaurant Association Educational Foundation ProStart Competition. With 16 schools competing from across New York state, Southern Adirondack, Education Center took first place in the culinary competition and Ulster County BOCES was the winner of the management competition.

The ProStart culinary competition is a high school-level event similar to the Iron Chef competition on Food Network. Teams have one hour to prepare a meal, including dessert, using only portable gas burners and no electricity. The management competition involves teams squaring off in a Quiz Bowl, and responding to a case study of difficult restaurant management scenarios. Teams are judged by a panel of professional chefs, restaurateurs and other culinary professionals.

A complete listing of winning teams is found below.

2009 ProStart Competition Winning Teams

Culinary Competition

1st PlaceSouthern Adirondack

Mike Donlon - Instructor

Students: Micheal Rohm, Brian Papenhausen, Calvin Hayes, Zachary Bolton, Racheal Mae Pecor

2nd PlaceOrange-Ulster BOCES, Goshen

Mark DeLorenzo - Instructor

Students: Nicole Montalvo, Jenny Treantafilos, Kate Woehrle, Danielle Waldron, Steve Hejnas

3rd PlaceSchoharie C & T, Schoharie

Nancy Iannacone - Instructor

Students: Kacey Dean, Brittaney Ellis, Sherry Starks, Danielle Christensen, Danielle Cross

Management Competition

1st PlaceUlster County BOCES, Port Ewen

Victor Arnao - Instructor

Students: Rachel Connor, Alaxandra Marullo, Lauren Williams, Rosanne Jensen, Peter Smith

2nd PlaceWeMoCo (Monroe 2) BOCES

Mike Mirabella - Instructor

Students: Patrick LeBeau, Hayley Burgess, Taylor McIlvene, Erin Harter, Donald E. Riddell III

3rd PlaceOrange Ulster BOCES

Karla Fulton - Link - Instructor

Students: Patricia Ramos, Marina Millan, Crystal McArdle, Richard Kossower, Marlena McGuiness

In New York State the ProStart program presently operates in 57 schools, involving over 3600 students and well over 200 educators and introduces the student to a comprehensive hospitality industry program at the 11th and 12th grade level.

The disciplined program includes: mentoring, paid internships, promoting entrepreneurship, basic business skill development, nationally certified exams, scholarships, state and national competitions and post-secondary opportunities.