26
Spring 2015 Issue
EVENTS
The 2015 Gordon Food Service Ohio
ProStart
®
Invitational featured 27
competing teams of students from around
the state vying for this year’s titles of
best culinary and best management
teams. The competition, which is only
open to Ohio ProStart schools, is Ohio’s
premier competition for high school
restaurant management and culinary
arts students. The culinary competition
showcases each team’s best recipes while
students participating in the management
competition are charged with developing
a restaurant concept, complete with
menus, staffing, start up costs, and
projected revenue.
Thirteen culinary teams and 14
management teams competed in this
year’s two-day invitational on Jan. 25
- 26. Up until this year, the Invitational
was held in conjunction with the National
Pizza & Ice Cream Show (NAPICS).
However, this year it was a stand-alone
event held at the Crowne Plaza North.
Approximately 200 students either
participated or attended the event to
observe and gain tips on improving their
own skills.
The winning culinary team was Polaris
Career Center, whose team was under the
direction of Chef Chris Olszewski. The
students comprising the team included
Daniel Frigeri, Emily Leopold, Jalyssa
Stringer, Amber Stevens and Dakota
Stevens. Garnering second place in the
culinary competition was Penta Career
Center, while Tolles Career & Technical
Center placed third and in fourth place
was Scarlet Oaks Career Development
Campus. Upper Valley Career Center
rounded out the top place finishers.
The winning management team was
Cuyahoga Valley Career Center under
the direction of Barbara Hummer. The
students comprising the team included
Tessa Ackley, Natasha Daniels, Ian
Meisner, Aaron Sharpe, and Stefanie
Tolbert. R. G. Drage Career Technical
Center placed second and Centerville
High School came in third. Tolles Career
& Technical Center took fourth place with
Lancaster High School completing the list
of top five finishers.
Also during this year’s Invitational, the
Ohio ProStart 2015 Teacher of Excellence
was presented to Barbara Hummer of
Cuyahoga Valley Career Center. This
award recognizes an outstanding teacher
who has made a significant contribution
to the Ohio ProStart program, their school
and community.
Ohio ProStart
®
Top
Individual Awards included:
Top Poultry Fabricator – Caleb Hahn of Tolles Career & Technical Center
Top Knife Skills – Kyesha Grady of Columbus Downtown High School
Top Management Award – Caeara Coleman of Tolles Career & Technical Center
Top Culinary Award – Adelaide Cole of Pioneer Career & Technology Center
Top Leadership Award – Natasha Daniels of Cuyahoga Valley Career Center
Students’ Best Efforts Shine During
the 2015 GFS Ohio ProStart
®
Invitational
POLARIS CAREER CENTER CAPTURES TOP CULINARY
HONORS FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR
