Steven B. Knudsen Chair, District II | Gwinnett County Public Schools
Steven B. Knudsen Chair, District II | Gwinnett County Public Schools
Gwinnett County Public Schools' culinary students have achieved notable success at the Georgia ProStart State Invitational competition. Berkmar High School's culinary team and Meadowcreek High School's Culinary Management team both received top honors. Additionally, Chef Phillip Garrett from Grayson Technical Education Program was named Georgia ProStart Educator of the Year.
The Georgia ProStart State Invitational is a statewide competition where culinary and hospitality management teams compete for scholarships and the opportunity to represent Georgia at the 2024 National ProStart Invitational.
Berkmar High School sophomores Kim Sy, Damaris Diaz, Dulce Rosas, Cynthia Gutierrez, and freshman Nghi Phan won first place in Culinary Arts. The teams were tasked with preparing a three-course meal in one hour without electricity or water. This marks the second consecutive state title win for Berkmar High's culinary program.
"This is another huge accomplishment for Berkmar Culinary," said Berkmar Culinary Instructor James Bryant. "It's always tough to win in this ProStart competition because the judging is so subjective, but our team put on an amazing performance under extreme pressure conditions."
Meadowcreek High School’s Culinary Management Team, consisting of Rehan Tariq (10th grade), Jesus Lopez-Rios (11th grade), and Georges Djrogbo (12th grade), developed a proposal for a new restaurant concept and presented it to industry judges. Jay Richardson, Meadowcreek High’s culinary arts instructor, praised their teamwork: "They took an unconventional and deeply personal approach to the delivery of their presentation, which paid off for the state win."
Chef Garrett expressed his gratitude upon receiving the Georgia ProStart Educator of the Year Award: "I love what I do," he shared. "Teaching these students a craft or life skill that I have learned over the past 30 years is fulfilling."
Both Berkmar and Meadowcreek High School teams will represent Georgia at the National ProStart State Invitational in Baltimore, MD from April 26-28. They will compete against over 92 teams nationwide for high school culinary and restaurant management honors and nearly $200,000 in scholarships.
For more information about the ProStart Program, visit the Georgia Restaurant Association website.
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