THE NATIONAL PROSTART INVITATIONAL - Oracle · the National ProStart Invitational in Dallas, Texas,...

A LOOK INSIDE THE NATIONAL PROSTART INVITATIONAL

Nearly 400 high school students traveled to the National ProStart Invitational in Dallas, Texas, in 2016 to showcase their culinary and restaurant management skills - bringing with them innovative ideas, confidence and a desire to be the best.

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation I ChooseRestaurants.org

SPONSORED BY: ORACLE HOSPITALITY

FOREWORD

Every year, 140,000 students from high schools across America take part in the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) ProStart curriculum, which was set up to bring talented young people into our industry.

That’s 140,000 young people, every single year, who are being educated about the hospitality sector and what it has to offer – learning about food, about service, about how to run a profitable business, but also developing essential life skills, like teamwork, responsibility and perseverance.

Oracle Hospitality is extremely proud to be supporting ProStart. It gives the students a life-changing opportunity to find a career in this exciting industry of ours, while simultaneously helping our customers – the restaurant operators – by finding new talent for them to recruit.

In judging the management competition this year, I got to see first-hand the potential that these students showed as they presented their restaurant concepts.

What was very clear to me is that these soon-to-be restaurant managers and owners of tomorrow are thinking big. Their concepts included unique and creative ideas, marrying up food with structural layouts to create a great atmosphere for their guests. But they also get the detail - their food cost analyses and marketing plans show that they are very familiar with the realities of running a profitable business.

Many of the leading business plans tied marketing with loyalty programs, while others described marketing events that need careful labor and food cost planning. You could see that leveraging technology to attract and reward loyal guests, servicing guests with innovative guest and employee facing technology, all while maintaining profitability and employee satisfaction is essential to these young leaders. Leveraging the right technology building blocks will allow these restaurateurs to focus more on great guest service and amazing food.

Attending the 2016 National ProStart Invitational has been one of the most inspirational experiences of my career – being able to guide young people who have ideas and talent, and being part of a program that provides the scholarships and other support that they need to make hospitality a viable career path. Future employers will see the superb skills that they learn throughout the program, but also a hearty amount of the irreplaceable work ethic that this program instills.

From Oracle Hospitality, I offer my congratulations to all of the students of 2016 and I look forward to the new talent that is coming through thanks to the NRAEF and this invaluable program.

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation I ChooseRestaurants.org

BRETT R. SMITHSENIOR DIRECTOR, FOOD & BEVERAGE SOLUTIONS MANAGEMENT

ORACLE HOSPITALITY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary.............................................................2

Detailed Findings: Culinary Competition....................3

Detailed Findings: Management Competition..........7

Detailed Findings: Technology and Innovation........11

Methodology.........................................................................14

Data Points............................................................................15

About Us................................................................................17

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation I ChooseRestaurants.org 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) ProStart program is a two-year career and technical education program that focuses on teaching culinary arts and restaurant management fundamentals. Offered in more than 1,800 high schools and career and technical centers in all states, Guam and Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Europe and the Pacific, the program reaches nearly 140,000 students annually.

With a goal of developing the next generation of leaders in the foodservice industry, ProStart brings together industry and the classroom, giving students a platform to discover and develop new interests and talents, while teaching employability skills such as teamwork, professional behavior, time management and communication.

Some students also have the option to participate in competitions that focus either on culinary arts or restaurant management skills. These students form teams and begin preparation for their State ProStart Invitational. Teams are comprised of two to four students with an optional alternate. The students typically devote hundreds of hours of practice and preparation to hone their culinary skills and restaurant management concepts.

Teams that win first place at their state competitions are invited to attend the National ProStart Invitational. Nearly 400 students, alongside their educators, mentors and families, attended the 2016 National ProStart Invitational, bringing with them innovative ideas, confidence and a desire to be the best.

This year, in order to provide insight into the minds of these future customers and aspiring leaders of the restaurant industry, the NRAEF collected data from the 88 judged presentations at the event. This report serves to showcase the new and exciting ideas these high school students brought to the competition floor.

Based on qualitative data collected from participant-submitted materials at the 2016 National ProStart Invitational, the NRAEF tracked methods used, ingredients included, restaurant concepts as well as additional metrics. This curated data has been synthesized to determine core themes of the competition, and to tell a story about what these high school students accomplished in 2016 as part of their ProStart studies.


“I didn't really know the direction of where to go in order to open up my own restaurant, and becoming part of ProStart opened my eyes to actually see where I can go from here.”

ProStart Student

THE COMPETITION

Many students get involved with ProStart because of an interest in food, and those students who excel at culinary arts spend countless hours practicing and refining their techniques before arriving at the National ProStart Invitational. Forty-six teams competed in the culinary competition in 2016, presenting to judges from throughout the foodservice industry. The judges, who volunteer their time, are committed to guiding and encouraging these young people to pursue their dreams of opening a restaurant, becoming a chef or managing a kitchen.

The competition highlights each team’s ingenuity and ability to think on their feet in a high stakes environment. Official rules for the competition state that each team must create a three-course meal in 60 minutes using only two butane burners, without access to running water or electricity.

Menus are designed by the students in advance of the competition and must also fall within certain guidelines provided by the NRAEF. For example, the entrée must include a protein, vegetable, starch and sauce.

Additional rules require students to use a minimum of two out of six identified culinary cooking methods, including poach, braise and pan fry.

Teams may range in size from two to four, with an optional alternate who may act as an expediter.

A workspace with two eight-foot tables and two butane burners is provided to students, and teams are required to bring all other materials required to execute their meal including cooking equipment and ingredients. During the 60 minutes of cooking, teams are evaluated on taste, skill, teamwork, safety and sanitation, and presentation.

DETAILED FINDINGS:

CULINARY COMPETITION


THE DATA

Each team is required to submit their written menus to the judges; these allowed the NRAEF to gather details on which foods were chosen and cooking techniques used.

Starters

Seafood was overwhelmingly the favorite focus for appetizers, with 60 percent of students using prawns, scallops, lobster, oysters, shrimp, crawfish and a variety of fish such as tuna, trout and salmon.

Vegetables were the next most popular option as a starter ingredient, and were the most frequent accompaniment to appetizers overall. Students’ vegetable choices included tomatoes, avocados, beets, cucumber, potatoes, mushrooms and squash. Some additional standout ingredient choices included goat cheese, forbidden black rice, apples, quinoa and bacon.

Entrées

Poultry was the favorite main ingredient for entrée dishes, although this may have been due to cost-deciding factors. Seafood and beef tied for second, with other teams choosing pork, rabbit, lamb and bison.

Nearly half of the student teams chose potatoes as their required starch ingredient, and displayed creativity in their preparations including gnocchi, sweet potato puree, croquettes and simply mashed. Other teams chose grains like risotto, quinoa and barley, or pastas such as orzo, ravioli and ramen.

DETAILED FINDINGS:



Leafy vegetables like brussels sprouts, spinach and collard greens, and root vegetables such as carrots and beets, were most often used by students as the main vegetable. Other standout vegetables included asparagus, peas and cauliflower.

Teams were required to include a sauce in each entrée, and these offered an opportunity for students to display their creativity. Examples include chimichurri, duck sauce, maple mustard sauce, fig glaze, smoked green apple vin blanc and a cranberry-pomegranate sauce.

Desserts

Students chose cakes and dairy-based desserts to showcase their skills, and the majority used fruit flavors in their dishes such as raspberry, lemon, mango and blueberry. Chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and nut flavors were also used. Dessert examples include blackberry soufflé, steamed lemon chiffon cake, vanilla cheesecake, Moroccan orange cake, butternut caramel ice cream and beet-fudge cake.

CookingTechniques

Students used a variety of techniques during the 60 minute culinary competition that they learned in ProStart classrooms. They sautéed, pan fried, poached and braised most often, but other techniques including blanching, smoking, searing, sous vide and deep frying were also prevalent. Required to showcase certain knife skills, many students chose the paysanne, chiffonade, medium dice, brunoise and julienne cuts during their presentations.

DETAILED FINDINGS:



“I like culinary because it’s an art form that you can make your own. ProStart gave me the opportunity to learn about the industry and to be able to work in a real kitchen.”

ProStart Student

StandOuts

Several teams made a point to label ingredients as locally sourced, and game meat was given a place on a handful of appetizers and entrees. Buffalo, bison, rabbit and quail were all prepared to showcase students’ skills and unique ideas.

For dessert, one team created edible foam to show off their Key Lime Espuma dessert, while other teams incorporated beets and butternut squash into cakes and ice cream.

While many dishes designed for the culinary competition featured indulgent and rich recipes, more than 50 percent of the menus included dietary options that would satisfy vegetarian or gluten free preferences.

DETAILED FINDINGS:



THE COMPETITION

An important part of any restaurant or foodservice company is its management-focused employees. As such, the ProStart curriculum focuses on teaching fundamental management skills to students. Those more interested in this side of the industry might find themselves participating in the management competition at the National ProStart Invitational. Forty-two teams competed in management this year, presenting to judges from throughout the foodservice industry who provide feedback and guidance to the students.

Management teams give a verbal presentation of their restaurant concept idea to a panel of judges, answer critical thinking questions and submit a written proposal. Official rules for the competition require students to develop a proposal for a new restaurant concept in ProStartville, a fictitious city used by all teams with a given set of demographics.

ProStartville, USA is home to a diverse group of families, students and young professionals. Within the ProStartville area there is a

four-year university, a regional airport and a popular travel resort.

Population – 57,000

Median age – 31

Families – represent 33% of the population

DETAILED FINDINGS:

MANAGEMENT COMPETITION


Proposals consist of a defined restaurant concept and supporting menu and marketing plans. Information required in teams’ written proposals include: type of establishment, type of cuisine, meal served, hours of operation, location of restaurant (where in ProStartville), target market, description of interior and décor, and an organizational chart of staffing plans. Students also design a sample menu for their concept with no more than 12 menu items, along with one sample recipe.

Teams also develop two marketing tactics to launch their restaurant concept that demonstrate their ability to advertise the concept and attract new customers.

THE DATA

Each team is required to submit their restaurant concept to include a sample menu, layout and marketing tactics. The NRAEF used the submitted proposals to gather details on what types of restaurant concepts were chosen and what cuisines and culinary themes permeated the competition.

TypeofEstablishment

More than half of the teams chose to present a full service restaurant concept, with a focus on serving lunch and dinner, however fast casual concepts were also popular, showing an understanding of the changing restaurant landscape and appeal for such venues. Additionally, several concepts managed to incorporate both full service and fast casual options into one establishment. The innovative idea, identified as two-option dining, serves both those who want a quick bite as well as those interested in being seated for a meal, thereby widening their concept’s target market. Several teams also included extended weekend hours, and a few offered delivery, take out and/or catering options.


DETAILED FINDINGS:


Cuisine&Theme

Cuisine and theme are central to the students’ restaurant management proposals and are the true indicators of innovation at the National ProStart Invitational. This year’s concepts centered on farm-to-table cuisines and locally-sourced ingredients, with most choosing a version of American cuisine specific to a certain region such as Southern, Coastal, Pacific Northwest and Midwest. However, 20 percent of teams embraced more global themes like Asian fusion, Japanese ramen, healthy Chinese and tropical Thai.

A notable theme throughout this year’s proposals was the number of restaurant concepts that offered a unique entertainment experience along with a meal. These themes ranged from tea houses with English Teatime tradition to bringing a festive party to the table through a Mardi Gras theme. Two teams even incorporated sky travel and dining, and one creative team identified an opportunity to serve dinner whilst their guests travelled on an “observation wheel” similar to a Ferris Wheel with gondola-like dining enclosures.


“Our restaurant concept is an Appalachian fish market. We sell fresh Appalachian ingredients from local businesses.”

ProStart Student

DETAILED FINDINGS:


Build-your-own and self-service concepts were not as common and seemed to be sacrificed for the opportunity to feature an artisan plate comprised of healthy, local and organic ingredients, which 44 percent of teams included. There were a small number of food trucks, however outdoor spaces were featured in more than half of the concepts including outdoor patios with seating for guests to enjoy.

StandOuts

Most menus in the management competition included at least one option for those with dietary restrictions, including vegetarian, gluten free and even kid-friendly. Additionally, many concepts stressed healthy eating within their restaurant theme.

Community engagement was popular this year, with some connecting to marketing activities and others incorporated solely as ways to give back to their communities. Over a third of concepts included a philanthropic focus tied to their restaurant, with Veteran and military support being the most popular.


DETAILED FINDINGS:


Both the culinary and management competitions encourage teams to use innovative methods and technologies to bring concepts to life. While it might be more obvious that the management competition sparks the use of creative marketing and point-of-sale systems to accompany presentations, cooking methods are also constantly being modernized, aided by science and technology.

CULINARY

In the culinary competition, teams exhibited their talents through a variety of cooking techniques and tools on the cutting edge of food technology. Limited to two butane burners as a heat source, teams used chemical reactions and innovative creations to cook and prepare their food. While most teams sautéed at least a portion of their ingredients, 23 percent of the teams used a torch to caramelize and finish ingredients on their plates. One team was able to create a homemade sous vide by submerging meat in sealed bags to eliminate air and then placing them in a steam bath to cook. Three of 46 teams spun sugar into beautiful designs and a single ambitious student used a hand pump to create a large balloon from taffy to garnish her dessert plate.

Almost 15 percent of dishes included intricate plate art, created by an extremely steady hand and active mind. These plates ranged in design, with one featuring colorful butterfly-like wings and another adorned with the carefully penned French word for raspberry, “framboise.” The time that the teams spent on their plate presentation seems to indicate an acknowledgement that the first taste is visual. During interviews, many students indicated that food photography, and its prevalence on social media, influences innovation in plate design and set up.

DETAILED FINDINGS:

TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION


MANAGEMENT

The management competition allowed for creative uses of technology throughout almost every aspect of the restaurant concept. Students used restaurant floor planning software to design the layouts of their concepts, designed websites as a marketing technique, created social media campaigns, ideated smartphone applications, allowed ordering through kiosks and tablets, and included a variety of point-of-sale systems in their proposals.

Innovation in the design of the overall restaurant concept was not limited to the use of a restaurant mapping software to design the layout, planned interior design was also informed by technology. The most common décor centered on modern, industrial, and contemporary design, and of those concepts, over 75 percent highlighted their use of mobile or tablet point-of-sale systems.


“It's important for restaurants to have innovative technology, because the world is changing everyday. It's best to keep up with the world, and the trends to make sure restaurants stay relevant.”

ProStart Student

DETAILED FINDINGS:


Technology was mentioned in a number of areas within the teams’ proposals, and appeared frequently in their marketing plans. Innovative uses of QR codes, one to claim savings and another to show loyalty, were used, and another team employed the use of broadcast texting to alert their customers that there was a current promotion. Events were the most widely identified marketing technique, followed by social media and then loyalty programs – all areas where technology can be used to support profitable execution. A few creative teams proposed mobile applications to host information on their restaurant, and one innovative group included information to support a Virtual Reality Tour of their venue.

Another common theme throughout was varied uses of technology in proposals related to supporting comfort and convenience for customers. Many proposals included mentions of strong WiFi capabilities (mostly in lunch concepts) and two proposals discussed the use of mobile charging stations so customers could fuel themselves and power their devices simultaneously.

Technology was also used to help create environments that were self-sustaining, carbon-neutral and energy efficient. Teams included in their interior design the use of LED lightbulbs, recycled driftwood and large outdoor patios filled with gardens mined for ingredients. One team carefully explained the use of a hydroponic system to produce larger and better tasting vegetables while preserving the environment. Another group included an aquaponics system in which the waste produced by farmed fish supplied nutrients for plants grown hydroponically, which in turn purified the water.


DETAILED FINDINGS:


METHODOLOGY

This report presents the findings of an initiative by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to study the proposals and presentations students presented at the 2016 National ProStart Invitational.

The NRAEF collected qualitative data from participants and participant submitted materials at the 2016 National ProStart Invitational. The data tracks the methods used, the ingredients, restaurant approaches, menus, techniques, technology and additional metrics in both the culinary and management competitions. The data has been reviewed and synthesized into core themes and presents a picture of what these high school students accomplished in 2016.

Eighty-eight teams participated in the event, made up of 373 students from 46 states. Additionally, interviews were conducted with approximately 30 students at the event, which took place April 29 - May 1, in Dallas, Texas.


DATA POINTS

CULINARY

Starter

Main Ingredient

Ingredient Two

Ingredient Three

Entree

Protein

Starch

Vegetable

Sauce

Dessert

Dessert

Main Ingredient

Main Flavor

Additional Flavors

CulinaryTechniques

Poached

Shallow Poach

Braised

Pan Fry

Steam

Sautée

Molecular Gastronomy

Other

Below are data points used to inform this report.

KnifeSkills

Rondelle

Diagonal

Batonnet

Julienne

Large Dice

Medium Dice

Small Dice

Brunoise

Paysanne

Chiffonade

Tourne

Other

Locally Sourced/Organic


DATA POINTS

MANAGEMENT

EstablishmentType

Family Dining Full Service

Casual Dining Full Service

Fine Dining Full Service

Quick Service

Quick Casual/Fast Causal

RestaurantDetails

Breakfast

Brunch

Lunch

Dinner

Delivery/Take-out

Catering

Hours of Operation

Weekend Hours

Location

Target Market

RestaurantDesign

Menu Style

Interior Design Theme

Uniforms

Outdoor Seating

Below are data points used to inform this report.

Food&Themes

Cuisine

Menu Items

Restaurant Theme

Marketing

Tactic One

Tactic Two

Other

Technology Used

Philanthropic Initiatives


Facebook.com/NRAEF

Facebook.com/ProStart

LinkedIn: NRAEF

Tumblr: Nraeducationalfoundation.tumblr.com

@NRAEF

@ProStart

Instagram: prostartprogram

YouTube: ProStart Program


ABOUT US

As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF exists to enhance the restaurant industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities. The NRAEF works to attract, develop and retain a career-oriented professional workforce for the restaurant industry. The restaurant and foodservice industry comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of more than 14 million employees, making it one of the nation’s largest employers.

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

THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION (NRAEF)

Facebook.com/OracleHospitality

LinkedIn: Oracle

Blog: Blogs.Oracle.com/Hospitality

@oraclehosp

Instagram: oraclehospitality

YouTube: Oracle Hospitality


SPONSORED BY

Oracle Hospitality brings 35 years of experience in providing technology solutions to food and beverage operators. We provide hardware, software and services that allow our customers to deliver exceptional guest experiences while maximizing profitability. Our solutions include integrated point-of-sale, loyalty, reporting and analytics, inventory and labor management, all delivered from the cloud to lower IT cost and maximize business agility.

For more information about Oracle Hospitality, visit Oracle.com/Hospitality.

ORACLE HOSPITALITY

THE NATIONAL PROSTART INVITATIONAL - Oracle · the National ProStart Invitational in Dallas, Texas,...

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