16
delawarerestaurant.org
Quarter2
S t ud e n t Spo t l i gh t
3
What’s it like to compete in the ProStart culinary
competition? Was it harder being at the National
ProStart Invitational than it was competing
against other Delaware schools?
This year was my first time participating in the Delaware Prostart
competition. The feedback from the judges made me and my team
feel better about the things we did. But there were a lot of surprises!
They made us mix our own sanitizer, our team was supposed to go
later, but got pushed up as a result of another team being delayed
as a result of the weather. The most challenging thing was plating
our dishes when you know that time is winding down. You have to
deal with the pressure and you have to stay calm and composed.
But I guess it worked out for us because we won! The most
memorable moment was at the end of competing when all team
members have to put their hands up. That moment is something
one never forgets. It’s like you just won an Olympic medal! The
most rewarding thing about the state competition was the Awards
Ceremony. That moment when you realize that they actually called
your name. You actually just won and get to represent the State
of Delaware at Nationals. Then comes the moment after when it
sinks in that you’re going to Disneyland!
4
And then you got to go on to the National
ProStart Competition. What was that like?
The key turning point in this competition was when we
were plating and finishing the competition. We finished our dishes
right as our time ran out. The most difficult thing was plating the
food with only one minute remaining and having to plate six dishes.
I wouldn’t say we failed, but that we had some technical difficulties.
The burners didn’t work the first time and some of our equipment
was broken when we arrived. But you live and you learn no kitchen
is perfect. The most rewarding part of the national competition
(other than competing) was going to Disneyland, meeting all those
ProStart students from other states and even Europe and Guam.
When else would I have ever been able to hang out with someone
from Guam or Alaska?
5
What have you learned from being part of ProStart?
I learned that there are many students like me that are
hungry to learn about the industry and do their best to
succeed. I learned that I am part of a large network of people
willing to invest their time and money to ensure that me and others
like me succeed. What gives me a sense of hope is that there are
many schools and students joining the ProStart Program. It is not
just an in-school thing, it is a national (and I just learned through
the national competition) and international movement. We aren’t
just cooks or bussers. We are chefs, business owners, nutrition
experts, artists and much more...we are ProStart!
1
What are you most excited or passionate about?
What are the goals you most want to accomplish in
your work?
What motivates me the most are my parents; they push me to do my
best and to try to be the best. They want to see me succeed in life
and I want to show them that I can do that. What I’m most excited
about is cooking in general. Culinary Arts give me the opportunity
to be wild and artistic at the same time. My number one goal is to
be the Executive Head Chef of a restaurant or, the owner and chef
of my own business.
2
Tell me about your mentors.
First off I’ll say that my parents are the first people who
influenced me. They encourage me to go after my dreams,
no matter how big or small. All three of my Delaware ProStart
teachers at William Penn High school, Chef Poole, Chef Vaughan,
and Chef Lyons are my day-to-day mentors. They helped a lot to
get me where I am. They helped me learn many of the skills for
which I am being recognized for recently. Culinary-wise the chefs
that inspire me are Chef Grant Achetz and Chef JD Morton who I
had an opportunity to work with, and mostly every chef I worked
with from last years Mid-Atlantic Food and Wine Festival.
We sat down with Charles, who is a current Senior at
William Penn High School, and asked him about being
part of ProStart, and his recent trip to the National
ProStart Invitational in California where he was part of
the culinary competition team. He joined the program
when he was in 10
th
grade, calling it a place “where I
just felt like I belonged.” He is currently getting ready
to graduate, and has enrolled in the Army, where he will
serve in their food service division.
CHARLES RODGERS –
WILLIAM PENN HIGH SCHOOL
DELAWARE
PROSTART
STUDENT
PROFILE
{
