Congratulations to the winners from the 23rd Annual New Mexico ProStart Invitational.
Carlsbad High School Culinary & Management Teams will be on their way to Nationals, April 24-26 in Baltimore. The teams will compete against other qualifying teams from across the country for their chance to win the national title! Carlsbad High School also won this year’s Hospitality Cup for the best combined Culinary and Management team score.
KRQE did an excellent job covering the event here: https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/new-mexico-high-school-students-compete-in-high-stakes-culinary-competition/
Carlsbad High School – 1st Place Culinary Carlsbad High School – 1st Place Management
The two teams competed for their titles this past week at the New Mexico ProStart Invitation held on March 9at the Albuquerque Convention Center. It was an action-packed day!
Santa Fe Indian School and Cuba High School took second and third in the culinary competition.
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Santa Fe Indian School – 2nd Culinary Cuba High School – 3rd Culinary
Volcano Vista High School took second in the management competition, respectively.
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Volcano Vista High – 2nd Management
Robert Miera (not pictured), teacher at West Mesa High School, was named New Mexico’s ProStart Educator of the Year for 2025.
The teams that placed first at the state competition advance to the National ProStart Invitational in two categories – Culinary and Management. The culinary competition highlights the creative abilities of each team through the preparation of a three-course meal in 60 minutes using only two butane burners. Management teams develop a proposal for an original restaurant concept and apply critical thinking skills to challenges restaurant managers face in day-to-day operations. The performance of teams in both the culinary and management events is observed and rated by expert judges from industry and academia.
“ProStart is developing the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s industry leaders. These students have proven their mettle in the New Mexico ProStart Invitational and have the full support of the New Mexico restaurant industry as they move forward,” said Tom Schuch, Education Director, Hospitality Industry Education Foundation. “ProStart gives students a sense of purpose and helps them feel passionate about their own future – which will be on full display when the students represent New Mexico in the National ProStart Invitational.”
The culinary and management teams will be accompanied by their educators, Amanda Hale & Kevin Zink.
Carlsbad Culinary team members include:
Carlsbad Management team members include: