A recipe for success
High school students in Lexington County schools are getting the opportunity to gain real-world experience in restaurant management and culinary arts through ProStart – a two-year program under the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) that trains students on the intricacies of food service and culinary arts.
There are currently more than 2,100 schools nationally that participate in the program, with more than 214,000 students involved. ProStart provides these students a bridge into the practicalities of the restaurant industry and is currently offered at Lexington Technology Center and the Center for Advanced Technical Studies.
Danielle Mize is the culinary arts instructor at the Lexington Technology Center. “Lexington Technology Center is a ProStart school which means that we are a member of the National Restaurant Association, and we are also a member of the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Foundation. ProStart is made for high school students to join, start networking, and learn skills for their future endeavors,” said Mize.
Students have an opportunity to earn a certificate of achievement by completing industry hours and passing two exams on the foundations of restaurant management and culinary arts. “Being a ProStart school means that students have the opportunity to become ProStart certified. You must take two different tests and complete 450 hours within the industry so that through ProStart you can obtain an industry certification,” explained Mize.
Mize noted that not all students decide to try to obtain the certification, but that the opportunity is presented to interested students. “Not all students take that opportunity, but for students that want to go into the industry and want to continue with their education, we try to push them in that direction. A lot of times ProStart gives vouchers so we can get students certified and help offset the cost through our schools,” she shared.
Mize has appreciated seeing the growth that her students experience as they pursue their certifications. “When they achieve certifications, growth comes with it. We started at point A and now we’re at point B. Seeing these kids being able to enter the industry already with ProStart certifications is great,” she said.
Mize also said that some of her students have had the opportunity to participate in events to gain experience catering and managing events. “In addition to certification, we have participated in some ProStart events. We take part in the Hall of Fame dinner in Columbia every year in November. The students get to attend and prepare hors d’oeuvres and things like that for a couple of hundred people. So, they are getting industry level experience,” she explained.
Mize says that getting industry experience is what prepares her students for life after they have completed high school. “We are preparing to cater a job for 150 people, so my students get to do another hands-on activity and are able to learn the industry from a real-life scenario. These kids are graduating from high school ready and prepared for successful careers,” she said.
This gained experience also places ProStart students in a better position to enter into the industry ready to begin work. Through the program, students have the opportunity to test for their food handler and safe manager certifications.
“My level one students take the food handler test and my level two students take the safe manager test. If you are going to be the manager of a restaurant you will have to have that certification. So, it is already putting those students ahead of the game even while they are still in high school,” she said.
Mize also noted seeing how having those certifications boosted the confidence of her students. “Already having that certification and knowledge under their belt takes them to a higher level of being employed and builds their confidence of saying ‘I can do this, I can go into the industry, I have this base level of knowledge that puts me ahead of a lot of people,’ ” she said.
Patrick Duggan is a chef instructor at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies which also participates in ProStart. He noted the program’s training on the practical and academic side of the restaurant industry. “Some of the things ProStart provides are business modules, like how to open a corporation, the history of food … the academic side of the culinary arts,” he explained.
Duggan first heard of ProStart while attending Johnson and Wales University College of Culinary Arts, when he assisted with the program’s culinary competition. He was reintroduced when he started teaching at the high school level about 10 years ago and saw more that the program had to offer to students.
Today, Duggan and his students have participated in ProStart competitions which allow competitors the opportunity to showcase culinary and management skills. “The ProStart culinary competition is a 4-to-5-person team where they have a couple hours to cook a three-course meal in front of judges. That is the culinary side of the competition, but there is also a management side where they create a restaurant and build it from the ground up. They talk about floor plans, their business model, how they will run the restaurant, and what equipment they will need,” Dugan said. Competition winners have the opportunity to receive scholarships as well as networking opportunities.
Like Dugan, Mize’s background is in the culinary arts. Her career has spanned 25 years and she has used her knowledge of the industry to help guide her students through their anticipated careers. “I’ve had multiple jobs from corporate catering to owning several restaurants. I have been fortunate enough to see all sides of the industry,” she said.
Mize shared that it is rewarding when she hears from former students who are well prepared for their college courses. “I have a former student who is at Johnson and Wales in Charlotte, NC in her first two semesters. She told me that she already knows 90% of the material presented in her classes. That is great to hear that she felt well prepared,” said Mize.
When reflecting on the program, Duggan credits it for adequately preparing students for a career in culinary arts. “ProStart gives them a leg up if they are looking at college and thinking about being in the industry. Programs like ProStart are a great way of getting students the base knowledge they need to be successful. It’s a strong program,” Duggan said.