As I watch the AHS ProStart team practice for their upcoming competitions, two things are going through my mind. One, is that the team must have an extreme amount of dedication, and two, being a part of this team is about learning from each other. 

The team, comprised of seniors Matilda Nickell, Linzhi Douglass, Noah Langhoff and junior Shaan Peckham, will be going to Denver for the competition. In just a few months they will be competing to win it all. Last year, the team won second place, but this year the team has new hopes and dreams to win States and advance to Nationals. This is a major goal for the three seniors, Matilda Nickell, Linzhi Douglass, and Noah Langhoff. With countless practices every week, the team must make a full course meal, including an appetizer, entrée, and dessert in under an hour to be judged in different categories. But don’t be fooled; this team is in it for the long run and they are working hard to make it all the way.

Students can join the team their junior year and continue throughout their senior year. Practices are held at the Jerome Hotel and vary depending on what the team is working on. For example, practices can include demos from coaches, so the team can learn technique. Once they grasp the technique over time, the coaches will observe who is the best at certain tasks for competitions.

Morgan Henschke, who has been coaching now for four years, has seen different groups grow throughout her years, but she is most proud of the bonds that students create.

“I most enjoy watching the students come together because in the beginning they don’t know each other and in the end they become friends,” Henschke said.   

In ProStart, some don’t always want to be a chef, but they are passionate in other areas of the food industry, such as business or marketing.

Every practice that the team has is different and in preparation for a final menu. Coaches Rob Zack, Jason Niederkorn, Tamara Ferro, Ed Curtindale and Henschke observe each practice. There are many categories when it comes to judging at the competition, such as sanitation, communication and taste. The most heavily weighted category is taste.  

In the one hour competition, each student on the team will have a job and strategy plan on how they are going to complete their menu. It is important to stay focused and communicate because when you have a flow of conversation you are more aware and organized.

“What I most like about the team is that it gives us the opportunity to experience what it is like to be in the restaurant business. I love getting to work with different people and learning from amazing chefs,” Nickell said.

Douglass also said, “Since this is my second year I know what to expect, but last year I was definitely more unaware. I had two internships working in the kitchen over the summer, which helped me grow even more.”

On March 10, the team will be competing and Coach Henschke is confident and excited.

“I know that we have what it takes to win and the resources in this community with the Jerome Hotel and the many supporters,” Henschke said.