Resort chef cooks with Team Idaho
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 2 weeks, 2 days AGO
Lee
Students from Post Falls High School will represent Idaho for the first time in more than 20 years at the National ProStart Invitational. The event, held in April in Baltimore, Md., is the nation’s premier high school culinary and restaurant management competition.
Chef Justin Lee, executive chef at The Coeur d’Alene Resort, the team's coach, has mentored the students throughout the season.
Team Idaho visited The Coeur d’Alene Resort on Tuesday.
“These students have worked incredibly hard to reach this level,” Lee said. “Representing Idaho on the national stage is a tremendous achievement, and we’re proud to support the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals.”
The ProStart program, developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, prepares high school students for careers in the hospitality industry through hands-on training in culinary techniques, menu development, restaurant operations, leadership and teamwork.
Each year, the program reaches thousands of students nationwide and awards millions of dollars in scholarships.
Idaho’s return to the national competition marks an important milestone for hospitality education in the state and highlights growing momentum for ProStart programs across Idaho.