Deming and Cloudcroft High School’s to Compete in the High School Culinary & Restaurant Business Competition in Providence, Rhode Island at the 17th Annual National ProStart National Invitational® on April 27 – April 29, 2018

                

New Mexico, April 20, 2018 – Deming and Cloudcroft High School’s will represent New Mexico in the country’s premier high school competition focused on restaurant management and culinary arts at this year’s National ProStart Invitational (NPSI), from April 27-29 in Providence, Rhode Island.

Deming’s Culinary Team and Cloudcroft’s Management Team will travel to Providence, to compete against high school students across the country for scholarships and bragging rights.

Supported by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), ProStart® is a career and technical education program focused on teaching culinary arts and restaurant management fundamentals through a combination of classroom and industry instruction.

This year, nearly 400 student competitors will put their skills to the test in front of culinary and restaurant business leaders, family and friends. The top five teams from the culinary and management competitions will earn coveted scholarships to continue their restaurant or foodservice education.

“Each year, thousands of students compete in every state to win a chance to compete at the national level,” says Rob Gifford, executive vice president, NRAEF. “These students are truly talented and exude the passion and commitment it takes to make it in this industry. We’re thrilled to offer the National ProStart Invitational as an opportunity to showcase their skills in restaurant management and the culinary arts.”

This year, the event will expand programming with the new “Share a Coke” feature: two 45-minute knowledge sessions to engage students with personal tips, guidance and advice from restaurant icons and industry experts.

The event kicks off on April 27 with the Business & Education Expo and the Opening Ceremony. Culinary and management competitions begin Saturday, April 28 and continue through Sunday. The festivities conclude with an Awards Dinner honoring the winners on the evening of April 29.

For more information on the National ProStart Invitational, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.

Click here for more information on the New Mexico ProStart Program or contact Brianna Dennis, NMRA Education Director.

ProStart®, a nationwide, two-year high school career and technical education program uniting the classroom and restaurant industry, reaches nearly 140,000 students in more than 1,800 high schools throughout all states, Guam and Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Europe and the Pacific. ProStart gives students a platform to discover and develop new interests and talents, while teaching employability skills like teamwork, professional behavior, time management and communication.

About the New Mexico Restaurant Association:

The New Mexico Restaurant Association’s mission is to empower the food and beverage industry by promoting and protecting common values and interests. It has more than 1,000 members in 111 cities all over New Mexico, who join together for meetings, seminars, and the hospitality industry to honor the industry’s top achievers. It has actively represented and promoted the food service industry in New Mexico since 1946. For more information on NMRA, visit www.nmrestaurants.org.

About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF)

As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s mission of service to the public is dedicated to enhancing the industry’s training and education, career development and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower and Advance today’s and tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart® – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready – partnering with community based organizations to provide “opportunity youth” with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and, the Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship project – a partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association providing a hospitality apprenticeship program for the industry. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org or contact Jasmine Jones or call her at 202-315-4101.