New Hampshire ProStart State Invitational Recap

By Amie Pariseau

Our annual New Hampshire ProStart State Invitational was held on March 7 at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. Our state winners will compete at the New England ProStart Regionals on April 1 in Boston, MA and at the National ProStart InvitationalonMay2-4inWashington,D.C.

This year was our biggest competition to date! The following schools competed: ConcordRegionalTechnicalCenter(culinaryandmanagement),MilfordHighSchool& Applied Technology Center (culinary and management), Mount Washington Valley Career Technical Center (culinary and management), Pinkerton Academy (culinary and management), Plymouth Regional High School (culinary), Richard W. Creteau Regional Technology Center (culinary), Seacoast School of Technology (culinary), and WhiteMountainsRegionalHighSchool(culinaryandmanagement).

CulinaryResults

After placing second in 2022, White Mountains Regional High School was eager to regain the top spot and was a formidable team. Not only were they the first place team, they also won the Gold Star Award for Safety & Sanitation. Their menu of Classic Spaghetti alla “Cabonara” (handmade pasta, crispy guanciale, pecorino Romano, egg yolk parsley, and black pepper), Braised Cornish Hen “Cacciatore” (san marzano tomato ragout, castelvetrano olives, rosemary polenta, crimini mushrooms, batonnet sweet peppers, and chiffonade of Swiss chard), Citrus Scented White Chocolate Panna Cotta (limoncello caramel sauce, white chocolate “truffle,” pine nut crunch, and supremestangerine)wasverywellexecutedfromstarttofinish.

The second placed team, Richard W. Creteau Regional Technology Center, created a well-rounded menu with a Lamb Slider (seasoned lamb patty on a sautéed sweet potato round, topped with tzatziki sauce and dressed with onions, pea shoots, cherry tomato, and a spinach leaf), Maple Pecan Pork Medallion (maple pecan glazed pork medallion served over mashed sweet potatoes with zesty lemon asparagus), and Strawberry Mouse (toasted graham cracker wafer, topped with light whipped cream, andafreshstrawberrycompote).

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The third place team from Concord Regional Technical Center brought back some familiar faces from 2022. Their menu featured maple front and center with Crab on a Boat (crab cakes served on endive boat with Cajun remoulade and maple bacon sprout salad), Maple Crusted Lamb Chops (served with parsley garlic potato gnocchi, sautéed asparagus and Cipollini onion, creamy sherry wine reduction sauce, topped with crispy bacon) and Maple Ginger Cheesecake Bombs (chocolate shell filled with cheesecake and plums with a white chocolate crispy base served with orange caviar, salted candied walnuts, ginger sugar glass, whipped cream and spice plum reduction sauce).

GoldStarAwardswerealsowonbyPlymouthRegionalHighSchoolforCommunication and Seacoast School of Technology, who was competing for the first time, for Knife Skills.

ManagementResults

White Mountains Regional High School wrapped up the top spot and the Gold Star Award for Creativity with “The Notch.” The Notch is a casual, cozy, hometown feeling, freestanding establishment located on Main Street of ProStartville, USA. The Notch is very focused on helping the community They have a Read Across America promotion andpromotedonatingabookwithaguest’svisitandtheguestreceivesadiscounton their meal. All the books are then donated to ProStartville’s local childhood centers, schools,andlibraries.

The second place team and winner of the Gold Star for Creativity, Pinkerton Academy, designed Pup’s Cups, which serves fresh, healthy meals that are priced to encourage people to eat healthier. They support local farmers in the area for fresh produce and fresh meats. In a nod to their name, Pup’s Cups works with local adoption agencies to bring awareness to the adoptable animals. Every day of the week, their restaurant has animals from the local adoption centers as well as a representative from the center to answer any questions and watch the animals. Along with providing a place for people to love and dote on animals, they donate a portion of the day's sales back to the adoptioncenterthatcameinfortheday.

Milford High School & Applied Technology Center came in third place with an Italian food truck. “Why have a restaurant in a building when we could have it on wheels?!” Based on the dishes they grew up eating, their focus became a make your own pasta bar Theduoofladieshopedtobeanincubatorforotheryoungculinariansandtogive back to the community of Prostartville. Their food truck will travel to Share (food pantries)ornursinghomestoprovidefreeordiscountedmealsforthedisadvantaged.

ConcordRegionalTechnicalCenter’sKin,wasawardedthePresentationSkillsGoldStar Award.

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Every single team in both Culinary and Management brought an exceptional level of creativityandtalent.We’resoproudofNewHampshireProStartstudents!

We can’t wrap up the New Hampshire ProStart Invitational without thanking the following:

Our sponsors- 110 Grill, Café Services, Dexter Knives, Duprey Hospitality, Gordon Food Service, High Liner Foods, Performance Foodservice- NorthCenter, Sysco, The Common ManFamily,TheFlatbreadCompany,andUSFoods.

Our culinary judges: Will Beriau, Charlie Binda, Mike Beers (BAM Hospitality), Patrick Britten (Sysco NNE), Brian Coffey (Brian Coffey Catering), Doug Gibson (White Mountain Cupcakery), Zac Marshall (UNH), David Turin (David’s Restaurants), Gary Sheldon (chef mentor and lead judge), Lisa Somerville (Vintage Bakery), Todd Sweet (UNH), and Nathan Varney (The Labrie Group), and our timers and volunteers: Garrik Berry (ProStart Alumni and Littleton Freehouse Taproom & Eatery), Scott Bicknell (Performance Foodservice- NorthCenter), Peter Dickinson (The Common Man Family), CJ Hakim (ProStart Alumni and LaBelle Winery), John Knorr (ApprenticeshipNH), Laura Leslie (The Centennial Inn), Matthew Pierce (Café Services), Tom Weir (Heron Point Seafood),andClayWestbrook(TheFlatbreadCompany)

Our management judges: Christine Breault (110 Grill), John Dunn (Michael Timothy’s Dining Group), Willow Furey-Calder (Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurants), Kelsey Hayes (Three Chimneys Inn), Keven Halopoff (Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club), Bernie Lontine (110 Grill),RickSpalding(HeronPointSeafood),VinnieSpiotti(AppalachianMountainClub), Sydney Sturdevant (Archer Development), William Walsh (Lakes Region Community College),SimWilley(Hart’sTurkeyFarmRestaurant),andJessicaWilson(Appalachian MountainClub),andtimersCraigGrabowski(GordonFoodService)andRobMcCarthy (MelanGroup).

Mark your calendar on Tuesday, March 5 for the 2024 New Hampshire ProStart State Invitational.