More than 330 students from nearly 40 Florida high schools participated in the 25th annual ProStart Culinary Team Competition, hosted by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) last weekend in Orlando. The event featured competitions in Culinary, Management, Edible Centerpiece, and Waiter’s Relay categories.
At the Salute to Excellence Award ceremony, students were awarded over $2.1 million in scholarships from several institutions, including the Culinary Institute of America, Culinary Institute of Virginia, Florida International University, Keiser University, Nicholls State University, and UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality. First place teams in culinary and management will represent Florida at the national ProStart Invitational in Washington, D.C., scheduled for April.
“For more than 25 years, this competition has taken students beyond the classroom and into the real-world process of creating a restaurant concept from start to finish,” said Laura Rumer, Director of the FRLA Educational Foundation. “From market research and branding to financials, menu development, and marketing strategy, these teams demonstrate the kind of creativity, discipline, and professionalism our industry depends on. Each year, we are inspired by the depth of talent and the educators who help guide these students toward meaningful careers in hospitality.”
“These competitions are more than an event; they are an investment in the future of Florida’s hospitality industry,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of FRLA. “By connecting students with real-world business challenges and industry mentors, we are building the next generation of culinary innovators, restaurant operators, and hospitality leaders. As our state’s economy continues to rely on a strong tourism and hospitality industry, programs like ProStart ensure that passionate, well-trained talent is ready to lead it forward. Florida is proud to host the largest ProStart program in the nation, and we look forward to cheering on these top winners at the national competition this spring.”
The overall first place winner was Strawberry Crest High School from Dover under instructor Paul Bonanno. Other top-performing schools included St. Lucie West Centennial High School (second place), Martin County High School (third place), Lyman High School (third place), Wekiva High School (fourth place), and George Jenkins High School (fifth place).
Winners were also announced for specific contests such as Keiser University Culinary Competition—where Strawberry Crest took first—and UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management Competition—also led by Strawberry Crest students.
Support for these events came from global sponsors such as Keiser University; National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation; UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management; Universal Orlando; St. Thomas University; World Equestrian Center; Fresh From Florida; as well as event sponsors including Ecolab; Florida Atlantic University; Zwilling J.A. Henckels; and Florida State University Dedman College of Hospitality.
ProStart is a national high school career program teaching nearly 222,000 students across culinary arts and restaurant management skills each year. With about 30,000 enrolled annually in its state program according to organizers’ estimates—and making it reportedly https://www.frla.org/about-frla/ one of the largest nationwide—Florida leads participation numbers for ProStart initiatives.
The FRLA represents more than 10,000 members across hotels and restaurants statewide https://www.frla.org/about-frla/. Its mission focuses on supporting education efforts like those highlighted during this competition while advocating for issues relevant to Florida’s $111.7 billion hospitality sector.
For further information about ProStart or FRLAEF programs visit their official website or contact Director Laura Rumer.
