Teams outshine competition from 47 states and the District of Columbia to win the National ProStart Invitational 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The culinary and restaurant management stars of tomorrow took center stage this weekend at the 2025 National ProStart® Invitational hosted by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation The high school students showed off their talent and skills with the San Dimas High School team from San Dimas winning first place in the culinary competition and Chalmette High School team from Chalmette taking first place in the restaurant management competition More than 400 of the nation's best and brightest culinary and restaurant management students on 96 teams from 47 states and the District of Columbia competed for top billing and their share of $200,000 in scholarships The 2025 National ProStart Invitational theme and dedication of the competitors who have spent the school year preparing for competition Teams earned their spot in the national showdown after winning their respective state level competitions The San Dimas High School team won the culinary competition by creating and executing three menu-ready recipes that included detailed cooking instructions and menu cost analysis and analyzed by a panel of industry judges Their menu included an appetizer of pan seared Chilean sea bass resting in a coconut and chive oil broth; an entre of lamb strip loin with truffle pommé puree and blueberry port wine sauce featuring a brûléed poached shallot and salad; and coconut mouse encased in a chocolate shell for dessert The Chalmette High School team captured the national title in the restaurant management segment presenting and defending their La Strada concept that honors the Sicilian lineage that has shaped the greater New Orleans' culinary scene for over a century Their menu is filled with dishes centered on simplicity and po'boys for lunch and table-side pasta prepared in a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wheel at dinner The restaurant also has a strong social good component supporting their community with food drives and sponsored community refrigerators and pantries across their area The restaurant is also committed to reducing waste and supporting a greener future through sustainable operations practices During their hour-long presentation to a panel of industry professionals the students pitched their full business plan "The National ProStart Invitational competition is a tremendous spotlight on our nation's most talented restaurant culinary and management students," said Michelle Korsmo president & CEO of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation "ProStart students have talent, skills and dedication and the restaurant industry can offer them unlimited opportunities in the more than 70 career paths among the more than 200,000 jobs added in the restaurant industry each year These students are a clear indication that the future of the restaurant industry is bright."  "As America's second-largest private sector employer and a places where millions of people gather and eat restaurants rely on the kind of innovation and teamwork displayed by ProStart competitors this weekend," said Rob Gifford president of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation "I can't wait to watch how these young culinarians and business minds continue to burn bright no matter where their futures take them."   Following are the top five teams in the culinary and restaurant management competitions: Maynard Teacher of the YearIn addition to culinary and restaurant management competition winners the ProStart educator at Worcester Technical High School in Newark the award is part of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation ProStart Educator of Excellence program which recognizes the country's top educators who demonstrate classroom excellence and an unparalleled commitment to helping their students make the most of the program's opportunities ProStart – the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's nationwide career and technical education program – has equipped more than 1 million high school students with career-ready culinary and restaurant management skills the program is designed to equip students with restaurant-specific certifications and competencies over 400 hours of practical work experience and access to restaurant and hospitality apprenticeship and scholarship opportunities Students complete the ProStart program ready to join a professional kitchen or advance to higher education the program reaches 222,000 students at 2,200 schools The 2025 National ProStart Invitational was made possible by many donors and sponsors About ProStart®ProStart® two-year high school career and technical education program uniting the classroom and restaurant industry reaches nearly 222,000 students at almost 2,200 high schools throughout all states ProStart gives students a platform to discover and develop new interests and talents while teaching employability skills like teamwork SOURCE National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is proud to celebrate National Apprenticeship Day alongside the U.S The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will expand its restaurant and hospitality focused training Restaurants Education Food & Beverages Awards Do not sell or share my personal information: This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInST (WVUE) - An underground gas leak forced emergency evacuations in a St Bernard Parish neighborhood Friday afternoon as authorities worked to contain a situation they say is venting through street drains and manholes Residents living on the 3400 to 3800 blocks of Jacob Drive were asked to leave their homes at the request of the on-scene Atmos Gas supervisor Emergency responders say an underground gas break was bleeding into the sewer system officials reported that the leak was located and gas service was suspended to affected addresses See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCHALMETTE (WVUE) - The longest-serving school principal in the United States was attacked Sunday night outside of his apartment in Chalmette was arriving at his apartment in Chalmette when deputies say he was attacked by a disabled man identified as 33-year-old Christopher Kidd was reportedly pushing over trash cans when Warner Deputies say Kidd then pushed Warner onto the concrete and stole his phone Warner is a great man and known to help people,” Sheriff James Pohlmann said “That’s why he stopped and that’s why he got out of the vehicle to help this young man He probably thought this guy was having some type of issue and was trying to help Probably didn’t expect for the violence to turn on him the way that it did.” Warner’s wife wrote on social media that her injured husband faces surgery on Tuesday to repair a fractured hip and elbow and is “going to require months of rehab.” “But he is determined to get back to school in August,” his wife Kitty Warner wrote in a social media post “Those of you who know Wayne well know that his determination will help him.” Kidd was arrested for the attack and booked for simple battery Sheriff Pohlmann says Kidd was a former student at Chalmette High He was located after deputies received a call about a shoplifting incident at a nearby grocery store Kidd on the scene and he was identified as the one shoplifting some over the counter medication,” Pohlmann said Kidd reportedly fought deputies before he was taken out of his wheelchair He will be evaluated by medical staff to determine if he needs mental health support or rehabilitation Kidd’s criminal history dates back to 2016 and includes charges of theft His former neighbors hope he gets the help he needs “He did have a temper because he used to destroy stuff and cops would get called out all the time,” a neighbor said “I called the cops and other did too about him screaming and stuff.” Fox 8 spoke with the man and woman who contacted 911 after hearing Warner calling for help They said they found Warner calling for help about five minutes after the attack and said he was coherent Warner has been principal at Chalmette High since 1973 See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it The Knights of Nemesis take its name from the goddess of retribution in the Greek mythology a group of one-time members from the Krewe of Gladiators and several long-time carnival parade riders came together and formed the Knights of Nemesis Social Club and Parade the krewe had its inaugural parade as the only St Bernard organization to roll in the parish after Hurricane Katrina and continues to be the only active parade to this day The Knights of Nemesis parade in Chalmette, La. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com) The Pussy Footers rolls in The Knights of Nemesis parade in Chalmette, La. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com) Debra Sablatura was supposed to ride in the Knights of Nemesis parade died on Valentine's day, was remembered in the parade in Chalmette, La. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com) Diane Taylor, fills in for her best friend Debra Sablatura who died on Valentine's Day, is ready to roll in the Knights of Nemesis parade in Chalmette, La. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com) OLPS 3rd Junior Green Tomato Queen Joslyn Theriot poses for a photograph before the Knights of Nemesis parade in Chalmette, La. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com) Goddess Nemesis XIX Ella Showalter throws beads during the Knights of Nemesis parade in Chalmette, La. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com) Royal Knight XIX Desi Romano looks at the crowds as the Knights of Nemesis parade in Chalmette, La. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com) Email notifications are only sent once a day From the Krewe of Cork to the Krewe of Pygmalion relive all the Mardi Gras action from this… News Tips:nolanewstips@theadvocate.com Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.