Retail Prophet | April 201326

Some of South Dakota’s Best Students Go Head to Head in the ProStart® Competition!

The first place Culinary Team from Brookings High School - Mikayla Resmen, Dylan Gilk, Haley Vogl, alternate Zac Morton and Ashley Lenander - impressed the judges with the preparation, taste and presentation of their 3 course meal.

The management division of the competition helps teams develop business skills that will carry over into the workplace. The first place Management Team from Brookings High School - Jimmy Forman, Emily Holm, Preston Parker and Tyler Madler - answered probing questions from judges about their plans for opening a restaurant. They were required to explain their concept and why they chose it, the layout, decor, menu, pricing, staffing, and marketing.

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About ProStartProStart is a high school curriculum developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to develop tomorrow’s business leaders. The pro-gram provides a comprehensive education to high school students on cooking, food safety, foodservice, inventory, cost controls, and other business management skills. The program blends classroom learning and on the job experience. SDRA coordinates ProStart in South Dakota, in conjunction with the South Dakota Department of Educa-tion and the South Dakota ProStart Advisory Committee.

On their way to the Nationals

The top team from each division - Culinary and Management - will head to Baltimore later this month to compete in the National ProStart

Invitational.

Go South Dakota!

Madison’s Central High School team won the Judges Award.

Voted on by all the judges, this award goes to a team whose spirit, attitude, effort and enthusiasm impressed the judges.

And you can see by this display of personality why the judges liked this fun bunch!

The knowledge and abilities were impressive, and concentration was laser sharp, as the next generation of busi-ness leaders demonstrated their skills at the 6th annual South Dakota ProStart Competition.

Two teams of students from Brook-ings High School are headed to a national competition in Baltimore this month after taking top honors in the event.

The ProStart Competition is intense and fast-paced. Over 80 high school students participated in the competi-tion, held March 20 at Mitchell Technical Institute’s Campus Center.

Two DivisionsIn the culinary portion of the competi-

tion, teams of students demonstrated knife skills and chicken fabrication skills, then had just 60 minutes to get a three-course gourmet meal cooked and plated using butane stoves. Many of the state’s premier chefs watched closely, scoring the teams on numerous factors including knife skills, cooking procedures, presen-tation, taste, sanitation and teamwork.

In the management division, the students explained how they would start up a restaurant - including the name, layout, design, staffing, featured menu items, marketing, and pricing. Then they were grilled on their plans by TWO sets of judges. They were scored on critical thinking, safety and sanitation, customer relations, menu, concept knowlege, verbal presentation, written proposal and visual display.

As you can see, it’s terrific training for future business leaders and employees.

Back row: Tristan Williams, Blake King and Adam Aus Middle: Morgan Williams, Jenny Christensen and Mackenzie Robson

Front: Brandon VanRosendale and Mick Icke

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Chef Juan Nino and Chef Kyle Adams carefully check the food products brought by McIntosh High School team members Lydia Eagle, Alexis Counce and Clifford Bishop. The two Check-In Judges scrutinized product temperatures, packing procedures, labeling, and other key factors for each culinary team.

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A HUGE THANKS to the Judges and Judging AssistantsChef Kyle Adams, Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux FallsKelsey Anderson, RedRossa Italian Grille, PierreProfessor Bill Bennett, SW Minnesota State University, Sioux FallsExec. Chef Clark Braun, Alpine Inn, Hill CityMary Beth Cieplak, Mercer Cutlery, IllinoisStephanie Dagel, Hy-Vee, Sioux FallsChef Randy Doescher, Mitchell Technical Institute, MitchellAmanda Doherty, SD Department of Education, PierreDr. Lee Frantz, Omaha, NEChef Chris Freeman, RedRossa Pizza, Sioux FallsChef Shawn Frey, Mitchell Technical Institute Instructor, MitchellChef Nancy Geffre, Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux FallsExec. Chef John Gilbertson, Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux FallsHolly Groninger, Hy-Vee, Sioux FallsChef Ryan Hembree, Trail Ridge Retirement Community, Sioux FallsChef Leigh Kamstra, Roma’s Ristorante, SpearfishChef Drew Laberis, Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux FallsChef Mark Mancuso, LaMinestra, PierreBilly Mawhiney, Time at the Table,MitchellChef George Morgan, Cashway Foods, MitchellChef Juan Nino, RedRossa Italian Grille, PierreChef Chad Olsen, WR Restaurants, Sioux FallsChef Landen Parent, Phillips Avenue Diner, Sioux FallsChef Johnathan Andrew Ricks, CEC, Sodexo, Sioux FallsChef Alisha Schramm, Sioux FallsExec. Chef Steven Shapley, CCE, Le Cordon Bleu, Mendota Heights, MNChef Justin Sperlich, WR Restaurants, Sioux FallsChef Roger Titze, Avera Behavioral Health Center, Sioux FallsChef Amanda Viau, Westward Ho Country Club, Sioux Falls

And a big thanks as well to the Mitchell Tech Culinary Arts students who assisted with the event!

High Schools Participating in the CompetitionBrookings - Joline Dunbar, instructor

Huron - Kathy Engst, instructor Lake Area Multi-District - Kristi Storms, instructor

Lemmon - LaKisha Jordan, instructorMadison - Sarah Perez, instructor

McIntosh - LaKisha Jordan, instructorMitchell - Cindy Gerlach, instructor

Sioux Falls CTE Academy - Megan Jaquet, instructorSturgis - Coleen Keffeler, instructor

Management Judges Kelsey Anderson and Chef Nancy Geffre listen to a Management Team presentation by the Lemmon team, Emily Storm, Erin Jack and Kaitlyn Rosenberg.

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Entree Tasting Judges Executive Chef Steven Shapley and Chef Mark Mancuso sample a meal from one of the teams, scoring them on every aspect of the meal, from use of seasonings to presentation.

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During a review with one of the teams, Menu and Recipe judges Chefs Amanda Viau and Billy Mawhiney explain what the team did correctly in calculating their costs for each ingredient, and areas in which they could use some improvement.

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“I thought it was really phenomenal considering the age group and the level of experience that they have,” said Chef Landon Parent, who served as a Tasting Judge. “I saw a lot of techniques that are fairly advanced, with searing and sautéing and sauce work and good flavor theory, and there was a lot of good teamwork.”

“Personally, I think it’s awesome having a program like this. The skill level is phenomenal,” Chef Juan Nino told us. “I wish I would have had a program like this growing up, because it definitely would have improved my skill level. I was impressed.”

Chef Roger Titze and Executive Chef Clark Braun watch carefully as teams begin fabricating chickens.

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Retail Prophet | April 201328

ProStart Competition CommitteeOur thanks to the committee which organized the competition:

Terry Van De Walle, ChairWR Restaurants Management, Sioux Falls Seanna Regynski, South DakotaProStart Coordinator/SDRA

Chef Randy Doescher, Mitchell

Amanda Doherty, South Dakota Department of Education

Jeff Jackson, Wrangler Inn, Mobridge

Leigh KamstraRoma’s Ristorante, Spearfish

Mark Mancuso, LaMinestra, Pierre DeLon Mork, Dairy Queen, Madison

Assisted by SDRA Staff:Melisa Forest Shawn LyonsDonna Leslie Shelli Ness

Justice Beaver of Sioux Falls Career and Technical Education Academy, (third from left) stays sharply focused during the culinary competition.

Like many of the students, Justice Beaver of Sioux Falls CTE Academy emphasized that teamwork is a key ingredient in the competition.

“It’s cool, because it’s a lot like the shows you see on TV,” Justice told us following the competition. “It’s really intense, and you’re under pressure. But no matter how much pressure you’re under, you cannot get frustrated. You have to keep calm and get along with your peers.”

Brandon VanRosendale of Madison Central High School won the Chicken Fabrication Award, which is presented to the individual student demonstrating the best skills when fabricating a chicken into 8 pieces.

Gage Johnson of Lake Area Multi District won the Knife Skills Award, for demonstrating the best knife skills during the culinary competition. This award was sponsored by Chef Randy Doescher of Mitchell Technical Institute.

Sturgis Brown High School’s Management Team, Maxann Fly, Landon Schumacher and Mikkayla Johnson, begin a Powerpoint presentation on their restaurant concept to judges Dr. Lee Frantz, Professor Bill Bennett, and Chef George Morgan.

“Opening a restaurant has been a main focus of my life, so the management part of ProStart has really helped me figure out how to start a business plan and get that going,” says Landon Schumacher of Sturgis, who plans to become a pastry chef.

Like other students we talked to, he says learning to work as a team has been crucial.

“You’re going to work with a lot of people in your life, and some you may not be able to get along with very easily. But it eventually just comes down to teamwork and making sure that everyone else is doing what they’re supposed to be doing, and you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”

Chef Leigh Kamstra and Executive Chef John Gilbertson watch closely as Devy Benito of Huron High School’s culinary team works on a caramel pecan crepe cake.

“In some of the teams it’s hard to believe they’re in high school. There is a lot of talent here,” said Chef Leigh Kamstra. “The more kids that get interested in this. the better. Even if they don’t go into the culinary aspect, it gives them an idea of what to expect in real life.”

Culinary teams display their completed 3-course meals.

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Retail Prophet | April 2013 29

SDACF

Wrangler Inn & Windjammer Lounge

Mobridge

Sioux Falls Career & Technical Education received Third Place in the Culinary division: Justice Beaver, alternate Kevin Daggett, Jacqueline Warkenthien, Jonathan Westhoff and Lissa Sagness.

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South Dakota Chapter of the American Culinary Federation

CashWay Foods-Cashwa Distributing Co.Food Services of America

Ecolab Inc., St. Paul, MNSysco North Dakota & Sysco LincolnWR Restaurants Management, LLC

Casa del Rey, Sioux FallsWrangler Inn / Premier Management Co., Mobridge

Alpine Inn, Hill CityHy-Vee Stores of South Dakota

TargetSouth Dakota Beef Industry Council

Coborn’s Superstore, MitchellMitchell Technical Institute

Mercer CutleryWellmark of South DakotaDr. Lee Frantz, Omaha, NE

Chef Randy Doescher, MitchellChef Don Smith, Casa del Rey, Sioux Falls

Chef Clark Braun, Alpine Inn, Hill City

THANKS! to the 2013 South Dakota ProStart® Sponsors

Lemmon High School claimed third place in the Management portion of the competition. Pictured from left: Kaitlyn Rosenberg, Emily Storm and Erin Jack.

Chef Don Smith, Casa del Rey,

Sioux Falls

Dr. Lee Frantz, Omaha, NE

Alpine InnHill City &

Chef Clark Braun

Erin Jack of Lemmon High School, who competed on both her school’s management and culinary teams, is planning to go to culinary school. ProStart is helping her learn what it takes to own a foodservice business.

“I’m definitely learning a lot of communication skills. I’m also learning teamwork,” she says. “I’ve learned it’s not all about one person, and there is in fact no ‘I’ in teamwork. And the competition is really stressful. Anything can go wrong. We forgot water for our corn mash that went with our appetizer, and we just improvised on the spot. It’s really stressful, but learning to deal with it is a way to get over it.”

Madison Central High School took second place in the Management portion of the competition. From left: Mick Icke, Adam Aus, Blake King and Jenny Christensen.

Mitchell Career and Technical Education took second place in culinary - losing by just a few points. Team members are Blake Winfrey, Karissa Beck, Chasten Schroeder, and Jorden Krueger. Chasten also received the President’s Award from the South Dakota Chapter of the American Culinary Federation for leadership skills during the competition.

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