HARTFORD, Conn. — The heat is on again in downtown Hartford. At the Yard Goats Club at Dunkin' Park, the Prostart Invitational returned pitting high school culinary teams and culinary management teams against each other in competition.
The events are put on by the Connecticut Restaurant Association and the Connecticut Hospitality Education Foundation (CHEF).
“We have two parts, there’s the culinary competition and downstairs there is the restaurant management competition,” said Scott Dolch, the executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association.
This year, high school teams from Enfield, Hall in West Hartford, Wilbur Cross in New Haven, Windsor, and Simsbury all showed up to compete. Winners in their respective disciplines move on to the national Prostart Competition in Baltimore in two months.
“This is such a great opportunity to meet amazing chefs from across Connecticut, there is no opportunity like this,” said Aliah Acosta-Mercado, a returning culinary competitor from the Windsor High School team. Her team presented a Colorado rack of lamb with Yukon potatoes to the panel of judges.
The judges from the competitions came from restaurants around Connecticut and each roamed around the Yard Goats Club to watch and sample the offerings by each team.
“This is a lot like 'Top Chef,' this is what you would see on TV if you were watching the Food Network,” Dolch said, and then added, “It’s the chance to see the future of the hospitality industry.”
“I dream about this, I dream about being in the kitchen every day,” Acosta-Mercado added.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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