Dessert of Champions

Gail Bellamy

Left to right: Carlton Curtis, v.p. of industry affairs, Coca-Cola Foodservice, and Chair of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation; members of the 1st place-winning culinary competition championship team from Newport Harbor High School in California; and Dawn Sweeney, president and c.e.o. of the National Restaurant Association and NRAEF.

The culinary team of students from Newport Harbor High School in California took top honors in this year’s National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) National ProStart Invitational held in Overland Park, KS. The winning team members were guests at the NRAEF’s 25th Anniversary Salute to Excellence celebration held in Chicago during the NRA Show in May, where they prepared their featured appetizer for Salute to Excellence attendees. Their winning recipes included Seared Scallops and Braised Bacon appetizer, Spiced Filet Mignon and Parisienne Scoop Potatoes entrée and Chocolate Rosemary Mousse Cake dessert. Educator Janet Dukes guided the team members; Steven A. Glyer is director of Career and Technical Education for Newport-Mesa Unified School District. This year’s anniversary event was made possible by contributions from founding partner, The Coca-Cola Company, and others. Click here to see the winning dessert recipe for Chocolate Rosemary Mousse Cake.

Approximately 90,000 high school students around the country benefit from the two-year ProStart program that brings together the foodservice industry and the classroom. The curriculum covers all facets of the foodservice industry, with national and local support from industry members, educators, the NRAEF, and state restaurant associations.