August 14, 2009
Contact: Megan Meyer (312) 715-6741, Jessica Wion (312) 715-5397

(Chicago) The National Restaurant Association announced today that Bill Nolan, director of ProStart, was awarded the Chef Herman Breithaupt Award from the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education. The award was presented during the Awards Ceremony on July 31, 2009 at the International CHRIE Annual Conference in San Francisco, Calif. The Chef Herman Breithaupt Award honors the memory of a pioneer in culinary education by recognizing outstanding achievement and contributions to foodservice education by a chef/educator.

"We congratulate Bill on receiving this prestigious award. He is an asset to the National Restaurant Association and the industry as a whole, and is instrumental in continuing to grow our ProStart program that is educating the next generation of industry leaders," said David Gilbert, Chief Operating Officer, National Restaurant Association. “The restaurant industry is expected to add nearly 2 million positions in the next decade, underscoring the importance of focusing on developing a motivated and skilled future workforce.”

The recipient of the award must exhibit high professionalism, demonstrate a strong commitment to hospitality education, and have a record of contributions to International CHRIE and the industry as a chef/educator.

During his tenure with the National Restaurant Association, Nolan has been instrumental in the development of several training programs targeted towards culinary education for secondary school teachers. He has co-authored and delivered seminars on a variety of topics including Kitchen Economics and Preparing Students for Culinary Competition.

Nolan has also been a key force in the development of the National ProStart Invitational™, the National Restaurant Association’s culinary and restaurant management competition for ProStart students. At this competition, he oversees a team consisting of 14 culinary professionals and post-secondary judges who evaluate the student competitors in the culinary side of the competition.

Nolan has served on various advisory boards at the Association involving development of the ServSafe Program and FMP certification exams. Nolan is also a member of the National Employment Advisory Committee for Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America and on the Advisory Board for Elgin Community College’s Hospitality Program. Nolan received his culinary training at Elgin Community College’s School of Hospitality Management, where he served as a chef-educator on adjunct faculty prior to joining the Association.

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. ProStart 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, please visit www.prostart.restaurant.org.

For a photo of Nolan, please visit www.restaurant.org/pressroom/gallery.cfm.