Culinary and restaurant students from Apopka high school cook up a strong performance at national competition

Wekiva High School Winners and Florida ProStart Leaders Celebrate Fourth Place Win on stage. Image via Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation.

Students from Wekiva High School in Apopka got high marks in a national competition for their knowledge and capabilities in restaurant management after the team fared well in a National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF) event.

The Apopka students placed fourth in the National ProStart Invitational, a restaurant management competition held May 2 through 4 in Baltimore, Maryland. The competition drew over 400 culinary and restaurant management students from 47 states and Washington, D.C. Ninety-six teams competed for scholarships and honors totaling $200,000.

The Wekiva High students were honored for their concept, which outlined a business plan for a contemporary Mexican restaurant called Sabor. They reached the latest competition after finishing first in the Florida ProStart Competition in March, sponsored by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA).

“The team is comprised of Onyx Castillo, Zariah Edwards, Isaac Aristud, Aubrey Pugh, and Parker Masangkay, with faculty instructor Christopher Bates. For their win, each student earned up to $23,000 in scholarships to further their culinary education,” a press release said.

“Congratulations to our teams for their strong showing at the National ProStart Invitational,” said Laura Rumer, Director of the FRLA. “These competitions not only highlight our students’ skills, but also open doors through scholarships and national recognition. We are so proud of our amazing students and how well they represented Florida on the national stage.”

Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, near the Gulf Coast, was another Florida high school with students who also finished with a notable performance. Those students came in 12th in the national culinary competition. The Strawberry Crest students focused their talents on a three-course menu made in about an hour.

The Strawberry Crest High School team included Rubicel Lopez, Jadira Ipanaque, Savannah Heist, Sophia Reyes, and Riley Clark, with faculty instructor Paul Bonanno.

That menu included a burrata stack appetizer, which involved fresh handcrafted burrata cheese, balsamic reduction, breaded eggplant, fresh Campari tomato sauce, sautéed spinach, chiffonade basil, minced garlic, crispy prosciutto, and toasted pine nuts. The entrée featured a seared duck breast with goat cheese and porcini mushroom polenta, with sautéed Brussels sprout leaves, julienned shallots, and pancetta, finished with a pomegranate balsamic reduction. Their dessert was hibiscus poached pear.

Officials with the FRLA said the Sunshine State students come from an area where culinary and restaurant skills are part of the landscape.

“As Florida’s leading industry, hospitality plays a vital role in our economy – and these exceptional high school students represent its bright future,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the FRLA. “We are thrilled with their national success and honored to support their journey through ProStart. With the nation’s largest ProStart program, Florida continues to lead in hospitality education. Our young leaders have proven their talent and drive, and we look forward to the many ways they will shape the future of our industry.”