McMinnville High School (MHS)’s ProStart team won special recognition for Best Overall Teamwork in Saturday’s 2016 ProStart® Culinary Championships.MHS students (from left) Lily Elmer, Jennifer Veles, Israel Juarez and Javier Garcia, along with alternate Devin Baldwin, competed against students from 20 other high schools across the state. More than 3,000 students from 36 Oregon schools participated in the ProStart program this year.The MHS team has been practicing for several weeks after school and in class. The competition is part of the MHS Culinary Art career pathway program and features a timed demonstration to create a three-course gourmet meal using only two butane burners and without the benefit of electricity.
Teams are judged on mastery of skills in seven categories, and points are based on many criteria including menu complexity, taste, presentation, knife skills and teamwork.
“I’m very proud of how the team performed,” said Culinary Arts pathway teacher Krista Carpino. “Their communication, time management and sense of urgency were what set them apart and allowed us to win this award.”
As a career and technical education (CTE) curriculum, ProStart also teaches specific culinary and management skills needed to succeed in the leisure and hospitality industry, Oregon’s fifth largest employer and its second-fasting growing industry.