On Monday, March 14, Davie High’s ProStart team competed at the NC ProStart Invitational in Durham at the Durham Convention Center.

ProStart is a nationwide curriculum that teaches high school students about the hospitality industry with a focus on culinary skills to prepare them for the workforce.

“North Carolina’s hospitality industry is thriving and demand for talent to meet job growth is one of the greatest challenges we face,” said Lynn Minges, president and CEO of the N.C. Restaurant & Lodging Association. “These students are the future of North Carolina’s restaurant and foodservice industry and they have demonstrated amazing competencies during the annual N.C. ProStart competition.”

Students can compete in two categories, culinary or restaurant management.

Davie competed in the restaurant management category. Students develop a restaurant concept and create a written business plan, verbal presentation, and answer questions in a critical-thinking session related to the proposal and challenges to food safety.  This is the third year in a row that Davie has won and advances to the National ProStart Invitational. In 2014, Davie won in the culinary category for NC and in 2015 Davie won the restaurant management category at the state level.

The National ProStart Invitational will be held in Dallas, Texas April 29-May 2 and the team will travel with Cary High School which won the culinary category.

“ProStart truly brings the industry to the classroom, and the classroom to the industry,” said Lance Trenary, president and CEO, Golden Corral and chair of the NCRLA board of directors. “We’re pleased to help support this program and its continued efforts to prepare our nation’s future leaders for fulfilling and worthwhile careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry.”

Davie team members include Magenta Fougerat, Casey Larsen, Rachel Larsen, and Destiny Lee. They are coached by Mandy Hines and assisted by Hugh Lee.