One of the many bright spots on the restaurant rows in Providence, Newport and many other dining destinations in our state is the substantial number of local nominees for the prestigious James Beard Awards, known as the Oscars of the food world. There are also other honors and awards being announced almost daily, of which our state’s chefs and restaurateurs are sharing a large portion.
There is a common thread through these honors. They are mostly going to well-established personalities on the local food scene, but where is the next generation of award-winning chefs coming from?
Approximately 600 Rhode Island students are enrolled in ProStart, a two-year hospitality career-building program designed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. And nearly another 100 Rhode Island students are enrolled in the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute’s Hospitality & Tourism Management program, a two-year turnkey high school curriculum.
In early February, the students showed what they have during the annual Rhode Island Hospitality Education Foundation’s Rhode Island ProStart High School Culinary, Foodservice & Hotel Management Competition. It was held at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick on Feb 6.
This year’s event featured competitors from the Chariho Career & Technical Center, which goes by CHARIHOtech; the Exeter Job Corps Center; the Newport Area Career and Technical Center; the Warwick Area Career & Technical Center; and the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center. More than 50 area professionals were present to judge the competition.
The students competed in three areas. Students in the Culinary Arts Competition prepared a three-course meal using only two burners and were judged on teamwork, cooperation, professionalism, appearance and plate presentation.
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WINNING RECIPE: Warwick Area Career & Technical Center students show off their medals as Foodservice Management winners of the Rhode Island ProStart High School Culinary, Foodservice & Hotel Management Competition. Pictured, from left, are students Tyler Lowe, Bruce Angelini, Kate Whalen and Victoria Salinas with instructor Austin Irons.
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In the Foodservice Management event, teams presented a restaurant concept and developed a business plan, including design boards, floor and marketing plans, and menu design.
Hotel management acumen was demonstrated by teams designing a hotel property and presenting concepts to various judges through verbal presentations, critical thinking Q&A sections, and posters.
At stake in the Rhode Island competition was a total of nearly $1 million in scholarship money for the winning teams. The winning Culinary Arts and Foodservice Management teams will represent Rhode Island at the National ProStart Invitational competition in Baltimore in April.
In addition, the Newport Restaurant Group’s Iron Works restaurant in Warwick will host the “winning dish” on its menu. The winning Culinary Arts team was from the Exeter Job Corps Center under instructor Mark Bennison. The team created black angus ribeye with purple mashed potato puree, assorted vegetables and a demi-glace.
First place in the Hospitality Tourism Management competition went to CHARIHOtech under the direction of instructor Donald Fair, which will be treated to lunch at Wayfinder Hotel in Newport this spring.
First place in the Foodservice Management competition went to the Warwick Area Career & Technical Center under the direction of instructor Austin Irons. Culinary and Food Service Management winners will be treated to a field trip and lunch at Fogo De Chao at the Providence Place mall this spring.
The answer to who will be in the kitchen and out in front of restaurants in the future came from Dale J. Venturini, retiring CEO and president of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association and the RIHEF.
“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and talent displayed by all the student competitors,” she said. “Each year, this event not only showcases their incredible skills but also highlights the promising future of Rhode Island’s hospitality industry.”
“Dining Out With Bruce Newbury,” syndicated weekly on radio, is heard in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont and Indiana. Contact Bruce at bruce@brucenewbury.com.