100+ Florida ProStart Students Team Up with Famous Chefs, NFL Legends at Taste of the NFL

Students partnered with famous chefs to help prepare top-tier culinary dishes during star-studded fundraiser to fight hunger relief – Check out the video recap here


Hollywood, Florida, Feb. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over 100 Florida ProStart students and their teachers had the opportunity to volunteer and support Saturday night’s Taste of the NFL, a star-studded fundraiser to fight hunger relief the night before the Super Bowl.

Students got their own real-world taste of working a high-profile event, held at the Diplomat Beach Resort in South Florida, where they were assigned to renowned chefs to set up and prepare food, serve tasting plates and assist in cleanup. Over 30 food stations were hosted by each NFL team and featured a current NFL Player, Hall of Famer or Legend.

The students are enrolled in ProStart®, a high school career and technical education program created by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) focused on culinary arts and restaurant management. The program is run at the state level by the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA).

“This has been one of the best experiences of my life,” said Jordyn Wilson, ProStart student from Marathon High School located in the Florida Keys. Wilson worked at the Oakland Raiders table with Chef Tonya Holland, cookbook author and owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, CA, which earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Holland has also appeared on Top Chef.

Taste of the NFL started in the Twin Cities in 1992 when Minneapolis hosted the Super Bowl for the first time. Each year, the event coincides with the big game in the hosting city. Since its inception, Taste of the NFL has donated $25 million to food banks and nonprofit organizations in the 32 NFL cities.

Learn more about ProStart in Florida and the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association here.

Learn more about the Taste of the NFL and the Kick Hunger Challenge here. 

 

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About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s mission of service to the public is dedicated to enhancing the industry’s training and education, career development and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its workforce. 

NRAEF programs include: ProStart® – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready – partnering with community based organizations to provide opportunity youth and previously incarcerated individuals with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and, the Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship project – a partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association providing a hospitality apprenticeship program for the industry.

For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.

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Florida ProStart students pose with Mauro Castano, head decorator and pastry chef from Cake Boss. ProStart students at the table were assigned to fill canolis for guests at the Taste of the NFL. One of the students volunteering was offered a job on the spot. “The food was great at every station,” said Castano. “(The students) were a great help… they made things a lot, lot easier.” 
Florida ProStart students pose with former Chicago Bears Cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman to showcase the dishes prepared at their table. Students worked with Chef Carie Nahabedian, a James Beard Award-winning chef known for her Chicago-based Michelin star restaurant NAHA.

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