April 15, 2009
Contact: Megan Meyer (312) 715-6741, Jessica Wion (312) 715-5397

(Chicago, IL) The National Restaurant Association announced today that celebrity chefs Guy Fieri and Stephanie Izard will be on hand to support the country’s top ProStart® high school students as they compete at the eighth annual National ProStart Invitational from April 24-26th, 2009 at the Town and Country Resort & Convention Center in San Diego, Calif. At this fast-paced competition, teams of students that won first place in their state culinary and/or management competitions compete for the national title, as well as scholarships to continue their education at colleges and universities across the country.

“It’s inspiring to see these talented chefs take the time from their demanding schedules to support these outstanding students who are just starting their careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry,” said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO, National Restaurant Association. “In a few years, we might turn on our TVs and see one of these top ProStart students starring in their own show.”

Three years ago, Fieri competed and won the second season of The Next Food Network Star. Today, the popular Food Network chef hosts four shows - Guy Off the Hook, Guy’s Big Bite, Ultimate Recipe Showdown, and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Fieri is thrilled to be on hand to cheer on the teams throughout the National ProStart Invitational. An ardent supporter of ProStart, Fieri is a three-term President of the Restaurant Association of the Redwood Empire and serves on the Board of Directors for the Educational Foundation of the California Restaurant Association. To find out more about Fieri, and his shows, check out www.guyfieri.com.

On Friday, April 24, Fieri will kick off the competition at Orientation. The next day, the 25th, Fieri will help build excitement as teams compete in the culinary event. At the Awards Dinner on Sunday, April 26, Fieri will again address the students and help announce the top five winning teams in each competition.

“I’ve participated in both the California and national ProStart competitions and I’m looking forward to attending the National ProStart Invitational. These kids have some serious talent, and being around them is an awesome experience,” said Fieri.

Season Four Top Chef winner, fan favorite and food fanatic Stephanie Izard will attend the National ProStart Invitational as a spokesperson for Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, a sponsor of the national program and competition. She earned her Associate of Occupational Studies Degree in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts, at Scottsdale Culinary Institute. After graduating, Izard worked in several of the nation’s top restaurants. In 2004, Izard opened her Mediterranean-influenced restaurant, Scylla, to rave reviews. Three years later, Bon Appétit magazine named Scylla one of the 10 finest small restaurants in the country. In the fall of 2009, Izard plans to open her new Chicago-based restaurant, The Drunken Goat. To find out more about Izard and to check out her podcasts, The Tasty Life, visit her Web site at www.StephanieIzard.com.

Izard will network with students at the Business & Career Expo on Sunday, April 26, and address all attendees that evening at the Awards Dinner.

“The Le Cordon Bleu program at Scottsdale Culinary Institute taught me the skills and confidence I needed to reach this level of my career. I hope to encourage the ProStart students to explore all the options before them to find the right fit as they pursue their dreams of success in this exciting industry,” said Izard.

The National ProStart Invitational consists of two competitions: culinary and management. Teams participating in the culinary competition will demonstrate their creative abilities through the preparation of a meal consisting of a starter, entrée and dessert in 60 minutes. The management competition will highlight a team’s ability to apply their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by competing in a case study, as well as a question-and-answer “game show”-style event.

The Coca-Cola Company is the premier sponsor of the National ProStart Invitational, awarding scholarships to pursue a college education to the first- through fifth-place teams in both the culinary and management competitions. Additional sponsors include Darden Restaurants, QSR Magazine, The Culinary Institute of America, Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, Chef Works, Golden Corral, The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes, Mercer Cutlery, Professional Culinary Institute, Cambro Manufacturing Company, Sysco Food Services of San Diego, Inc. and Whole Foods Market.

Nationwide, 78,000 students in 47 states, territories and districts are served by ProStart, a two-year curriculum supported by the National Restaurant Association and state restaurant associations across the United States that blends classroom learning with mentored work experience to teach high school students the management and culinary skills needed for a career in the restaurant and foodservice industry. When students meet academic standards, complete a checklist of competencies, and work at least 400 hours in the industry, they are awarded the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement that signifies they are well qualified to enter the industry workforce. The career-building program is managed nationally by National Restaurant Association Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Restaurant Association. For more information on the ProStart program and National ProStart Invitational, please visit www.prostart.restaurant.org.