PIERRE, SD – It was a sweet ending for Sturgis Brown Highschoolers Natasha Emeline and Angelina Hobbs when their tropical tiered dessert took home a first-place finish at the 13th Annual South Dakota ProStart Invitational, held March 24 in Pierre.
The ProStart Invitational is an intense, fast-paced event where students demonstrate food preparation and safety procedures, hospitality management, public speaking, and other valuable job skills. Competitions included culinary, management, and cake decorating.
This was the first year a Sturgis Brown High School team entered the cake decorating competition. Students have competed in other divisions in the past. Sturgis Brown is instructed by Coleen Keffeler and mentored by Mica Sulzbach-Bataille from Ohh-La-La-Cakes
In the culinary portion of the competition, teams of students have just 60 minutes to prepare a three-course gourmet meal without using electricity. Many of the state’s premier chefs serve as judges, scoring teams on numerous factors, including presentation, taste, sanitation, and teamwork.
Teams also compete head-to-head in a restaurant management competition. For this competition, students present the steps needed to start and operate a restaurant, including concept, operations, marketing, critical thinking, and menu. Food-service and industry professionals evaluate the teams’ business plans and presentation skills.
Mitchell CTE took the top prize in the culinary and restaurant management divisions, earning them a place in the national ProStart competition in Washington, DC, on May 6-8. Abby Bitterman, Alivia Siegel, Haylie Von Eye, and Alex Spell were the winning culinary team members, with Bitterman and Siegel also taking the top spot in the management competition. Both teams were instructed by Cindy Gerlach.
“ProStart is a great opportunity for high school students to learn culinary and hospitality management skills applicable in various businesses, from restaurants to hotel management,” said South Dakota Retailers Association Executive Dirrector, Nathan Sanderson. “This is real-world career preparation at its finest.”
Two students showcased exceptional skills throughout the day and were presented with culinary achievement awards.
Tony Wollman of Mobridge-Pollock was awarded the President’s Award, given to an individual who exhibits leadership throughout the day’s tough competition. The Black Hills Chapter of the American Culinary Federation sponsors and selects that award.
The South Dakota Retailers Association honored Alex Ritesman of Harrisburg High School. Ritesman received the Knife Skills Award due to her overall technique and talent in the kitchen.
ProStart is a collaborative effort between the South Dakota Department of Education, the South Dakota Retailers Association, and the South Dakota ProStart Advisory Committee.
Participating schools included Harrisburg, Huron, Madison Central, Mitchell CTE Academy, Mobridge-Pollock, Sturgis Brown, Sioux Falls CTE Academy, and Vermillion.
