Sysco Las Vegas
Hosts Interstate ProStart Teacher Workshop

November 16, 2009 - 50 ProStart teachers from Nevada, California, Utah, Wyoming, and South Dakota assembled at Sysco Las Vegas on Nov. 13-14 for the 4th Annual Interstate ProStart Teacher Workshop.
 
Sysco was a generous host for the teachers, providing mouthwatering meals on both days as well as a tour of the facility, some product donations, and assistance from 4 staff members and chefs. The teachers were impressed by the level of support that Sysco showed for the event as well as the hospitality given by every staff member during the 2-day workshop.
 
The workshop was created 4 years ago by the Nevada Restaurant Association Educational Foundation to allow ProStart teachers a weekend to brush up on some old skills and to learn about new culinary or management skills and techniques. The workshop is unique in that it gives teachers from different regions a chance to share ideas with one another and to learn from some of the industry’s best.
 
 
The sessions that were presented included seafood fabrication, sustainable fishing practices, cake decorating, chicken fabrication, fruit and vegetable carving, and various management sessions, including HR/staffing issues, restaurant design, investor relations, and marketing strategies. Many of these sessions were specifically geared toward helping teachers to better understand the principles and techniques that the students will need to demonstrate at the annual state and national ProStart competitions.
 
 
One popular session was the sauces demo led by Chef Andre Rochat of Andre’s Restaurant and Alize at the Top of the Palms. Chef Rochat demonstrated how to get the maximum flavor from the sauces and provided a tasting for the attendees. Many of the teachers were thrilled to be able to have a chance to learn from the Michelin-star chef. Mary Bullock, a teacher from Las Vegas’ East Career and Technical Academy, remarked that it was a “real blessing to be able to learn from such an accomplished chef.”
 
Another well-received session was the menu design and plating tips by Chef Michael Jordan of Rosemary’s Restaurant. Chef Jordan took care to explain how to create a menu that will elicit interest and sales from guests and also gave pointers on how to design a plate so that it looks most appetizing and beautiful. Judy Dolphin, a teacher from Greenville High School in California, noted that “Chef Jordan took the time to show how to construct a proper plate to achieve a picture that would be most pleasing to diners” and that she would have a lot to take back to her students.
 
Other presenters at the workshop included Karim Machi of CleanFish, Patrick Knowles of Girard’s Fine Foods, Bob Schultz and Patrick Simon of Sysco Las Vegas, Michael Santos and Justin Micatrotto of Micatrotto Restaurant Group, Brian Silver of Wildwood Capital Securities, Michael Del Gatto and Robyn MacAdams of Carpenter Sellers Architects, and Flora Aghababyan of Wynn Las Vegas and Encore.
 
A great big thanks goes to David DeVane and Sysco Las Vegas for hosting the event and helping to make it a success! Thank you to the other sponsors, Coca Cola, CleanFish, Tyson, Wynn Las Vegas, and Whole Foods.
 
For more information on how you can get involved with the ProStart program, please contact education@nvrestaurants.com.

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