(Portland, OR) - In less than two weeks, several hundred student chefs from across the state will converge on the Oregon Convention Center to compete in the 2007 ProStart State High School Culinary Championships. Throngs of spectators will witness teams pouring their hearts into culinary delights to "wow" judges and impress industry leaders with know-how in management concepts.

In a splashy display of culinary prowess, these students--donning chef coats and with pans a-sautéing--will mesmerize audiences with a high level of skill and professionalism under the extreme pressure of state championships.

The students are a part of ProStart, a two-year program by the Oregon Restaurant Education Foundation that prepares young people for management-level positions in the state's $9.7 billion hospitality industry. The program thrives due to unprecedented projected demand for skilled managers within Oregon's largest private sector employer. Presented by Boyd Coffee Company and Western Culinary Institute, this competition is a prime example of how business and education can partner together successfully and train the future industry workforce.

This year, a record number of judges from all sides of industry will participate--42 in all. The list includes Oregon celebrities, including noted chefs Adam Bernstein, Raphael Hoffman, former ACF President Patti Curfman, and KOIN's "Cook and Tell" host Leighann Hieronymus. Panels will provide feedback for the teams, who have spent the better part of the 2006-07 school year preparing for this event. Stakes are high; the first-place winning teams of the Boyds Coffee Culinary Cup and Western Culinary Institute Management Challenge will be flown, all expenses paid, to Charlotte, NC to represent Oregon at the National ProStart Student Invitational April 19-21, 2007.

"This is an incredible opportunity for students," said ProStart teacher Mindi Shelton from Colton High School. "They feel a sense of pride that they are not only a part of one of the fastest growing industries in the state, but also learning about leadership and team work. It's phenomenal to see it all come together at these Championships," added Therese Gerlits, the Molalla high school ProStart teacher.

Oregon has a lot to crow about. Two national titles and a third place finish belong to the Beaver state. In 2002, Taft High School in Lincoln City captured first place in the national culinary competition, and in 2005, Bend High School shocked the competition by blasting into a first place win in the management competition. Not to be outdone, they roared back in 2006 to win both the Oregon state culinary and management championships, and brought home another top finish, placing third in management at nationals.

Both events are grueling contests, with culinary competitors having to create a three-course meal from scratch in one hour, without the luxury of using pre-prepared ingredients or battery/operated equipment. The true challenge is creating the starter, entrée and dessert only using two butane stoves. Watchful judges will critique their every move, and students will need to produce two identical meals so the tasting judges can review one set and the other set goes out for display to the public.

Management students run through a battery of tests of their culinary management knowledge, from a written test, case study presentation and a chance at competing in the Knowledge Quiz Bowl.

The event will be held February 24, 2007 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. More information can be found on the web: www.oregonprostart.org. Special media passes are available to members of the press for behind-the-scenes action. Contact Elizabeth Peters at 971-224-1509 or Elizabeth@ora.org.

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