WHS Culinary Team places

third in ProSTart Student Invitational

The Watauga High School Culinary Team placed third in North Carolina at the 2009 Carolina’s Student Invitational at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

The ProStart Invitational is sponsored by the N.C. Hospitality Education Foundation, a division of the N.C. Restaurant & Lodging Association and T.H.E. Foundation, a division of the South Carolina Hospitality Association. Both organizations are part of the National Restaurant Association.

The culinary team members competing were: freshman Matt Byrum, freshman David Angus Faulkner, sophomore Matt Presnell and junior Tony Mendez.

The competition included producing the following menu in one hour. Four precision knife cuts of vegetables used in the competition recipes were required, as well.

The Watauga High Menu
Mozzarella and Tomato Salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Poached salmon with creamy dill sauce
Basmati rice
Fresh sauteed asparagus
Rich chocolate mousse with red raspberries

The Culinary Team and the WHS ProStart Management team, which was composed of junior Amanda Greene, freshman Alle Workman, freshman Montana Underwood and sophomore Amanda Fields also placed third for North Carolina Recipe Challenge.

This part of the competition took place in December and was sponsored by Coach’s Low Country Seasoning.

The recipe was an entrée of “Shrimp and Risotto Milanese,“ incorporating the seasoning in the recipe.

Third place medals were awarded to the Culinary Team and the Recipe Challenge Team. The members of the Culinary Team and Management Team also qualified for $1,500 in scholarships from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The Culinary Team from Watauga received $500 scholarships to Johnson & Wales University. These scholarships are renewable each academic year for up to four years.

They also won a $500 scholarship to the Technical Institute of Charleston, S.C., and The Art Institute of Charleston.

All members of the team were awarded a scholarship to The New England Culinary Institute should they choose to attend.

First place winners of the culinary competition were from Lejune High School, with Davie County’s ProStart Program placing second.

The ProStart Program is a curriculum from the National Restaurant Association Foundation that stresses hospitality education in both restaurant and lodging management.

Watauga High School was one of the first 10 programs to introduce the curriculum in North Carolina. This is the third year for the curriculum at the high school. The program involves a national certification with a certification exam following both years of the curriculum. A mentor program with work related credentialing is also required.

Chef Troy Byrum from Troy’s 105 Diner was the chef mentor for the teams and donated the required chef uniforms for the culinary team. Lee Ann Williams is the FACS teacher and ProStart instructor for Watauga High School. The team was also accompanied to Myrtle Beach by Watauga FACS teacher Piper Woodring and parent chaperone Karen Greene.

If interested in competition recipes, contact L.A. Williams at Watauga High School at WILLIAMSL@watauga.k12.nc.us