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2020 ProStart Invitational

is Postponed until Further Notice

Location

Hotel RL Olympia

2300 Evergreen Park Dr SW

Olympia, WA 98502

Get Directions

 

Room rates: $120/night

Reserve by Feb. 28, 2020

Date

Mar. 13-14, 2020

Mar. 13: Check-in

Mar. 14: Competition & dinner

Free to attend!

Register here

Event attendance: Free

Exhibit table at career fair: Free

Awards Dinner: $25 each Purchase now

Event Details

Agenda

Saturday March 14, 2020

8:00 am – 8:30 am Student Orientation

9:15 am – 3:00 pm Culinary Heats

10:30 am – 2:40 pm Management Heats

3:30 pm – 5:30 pm Prep for Awards Dinner

5:30 pm Awards Dinner

Live Event

We will be livestreaming the competition on our Facebook page. Like us to be notified when we begin streaming.

 

Livestream Schedule

More details coming soon

 

At work where you can’t watch or have sound? We’ll also be tweeting and posting on Instagram/Facebook the day of the event. Follow our social media handles to experience the event!

Facebook

Twitter: @WAhospitality

Instagram: @wahospitality

Competing Teams

Management Teams

First Group 10:30 am – 12:35 pm

  • Bonney Lake High School, Bonney Lake
  • Rogers High School, Spokane

Second Group 1:00 pm – 2:40 pm

  • Ferris High School, Spokane
  • Northwest Career & Technical Academy, Mt. Vernon

Culinary Teams

9:15 am – Northwest Career & Technical Academy, Mt. Vernon

9:35 am – Ferris High School, Spokane

9:55 am – Newport High School, Bellevue

10:15 am – Mount Si High School, Snoqualmie

10:35 am – Mt. Spokane High School, Spokane

10:55 am – Walla Walla High School, Walla Walla

11:35 am – Newport High School, Bellevue

11:55 am – Puyallup High School, Puyallup

12:15 pm – North Central High School, Spokane

12:35 pm – Bonney Lake High School, Bonney Lake

Awards Dinner

Winners of the Invitational for each category are announced during this time. All teams, mentors, teachers and judges will be present. First place winners will go on to compete in Washington, D.C. at the National ProStart Invitational. 

We’ll also announce 2020 winners for Student of the Year, Mentor of the Year, and Educator of the Year.

 

Awards Dinner tickets are available for purchase through our event registration form.

 

More details to follow.

Career Fair

The Invitational will have a career fair going on at the same time as the competition. Exhibitors will consist of colleges, technical schools, apprenticeship programs with hospitality training as well as hospitality businesses who hire and train students.

There is no cost to exhibit at the career fair. Each exhibitor will be allotted chairs and one table. 

To register, please see our event registration form.

What is the ProStart Invitational?

ProStart student teams from across the state demonstrate their culinary and management skills. Winning teams earn scholarships, honors and the opportunity to compete against the very best teams from other states at the National ProStart Invitational. 

How does the competition work?

Management

Management teams develop a proposal for the next promising restaurant concept and present it to a panel of industry judges. Their problem solving skills are tested as they quickly solve challenges faced by managers daily.

Each presentation is broken down into 5 separate categories:

  1. Concept
  2. Layout & Staffing
  3. Menu & Costing
  4. Marketing
  5. Critical Thinking

After all 5 categories are presented by the team, they will receive critiques from prominent industry professionals to help them learn and grow. Winners are announced later that night at the ProSelect Invitational Awards Dinner.

Culinary

The culinary competition highlights each team’s creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal (appetizer, entree & dessert) in 60 minutes, using only two butane burners, and without access to running water or electricity.

Students are evaluated on:

  • Taste of Food
  • Food Presentation
  • Degree of Difficulty/Creativity
  • Cooking and Knife Skills
  • Teamwork/Team Presentation/Organization
  • Menu & Recipe Presentation
  • Sanitation
  • Safety

After the meal is prepared, students receive 3 separate critiques from industry chefs based on:

  1. Skills & Organization
  2. Taste
  3. Recipe & Menu