Oklahoma ProStart® Student Opportunities
Oklahoma ProStart® has many opportunities to get involved. Through unique hands-on training in with many of Oklahoma's premiere chefs and restauranteurs, students will gain invaluable experience and make great connections with industry leaders. Participating in ProStart volunteer opportunities is a great way to launch your culinary or management career. If you have questions, contact Roberta Helsley at (405) 942-8181 or via email at roberta@okrestaurants.com.
YOUR CULINARY CAREER BEGINS HERE
Scholarships
Are you currently enrolled or about to enroll in a hospitality industry program, like Hospitality Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or Culinary Arts Education? If so, be sure to apply for the ORA Scholarship, to be used toward the pursuit of undergraduate, master's degree or continuing education at a post-secondary accredited institution.
ProStart Events
The ProStart® Student Invitational competition will showcase the culinary and academic talents of ProStart® students from high schools and technology centers across the state. The winning teams from each competition will be awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals and scholarships to pursue post-secondary education. The winning high school teams in the culinary and management competition will represent Oklahoma at the national competition in May. Industry professionals are also involved as team coaches and judges during the event. All contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Any ProStart® student interested in competing should contact their high school or technology center instructor for more details.
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Odyssey de Culinaire is a fundraising dinner to benefit the Oklahoma ProStart® program. This public event features two elegant evenings of dining - one in Oklahoma City and one in Tulsa. These benefit dinners have a unique spin that creates collaboration among chefs from Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Attendees to the dinners enjoy a five-course meal with wine pairings. Each of the 10 chefs are paired with a ProStart student to plan, create and prepare a different dish that is part of a five-course dinner with wine pairings. This fundraising dinner supports over 23 high school programs across Oklahoma with funding for field trips, food labs/demonstrations, equipment, guest speakers and teacher professional development.
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The Culinary Cook-off is a cooking competition that takes place during the ORA Expo each August. Many of Oklahoma's most talented chefs are paired with a culinary student assistant and race the clock to create dazzling dishes using a mystery basket of ingredients. Chefs compete in various heats until the contest is narrowed down to the final two chefs. Judges consist of a panel of industry professionals who will critique each chef/assistant team on plate presentation, creativity, product taste, and sanitation practices, among other things. Up for grabs are trophies, medals, and cash prizes.
The Oklahoma Restaurant Association accepts applications for Student Culinary Assistants for the ORA Culinary Cook-off. |
