San Diego's Mira Mesa High to compete for first time in Boyds Coffee Culinary Cup

(SACRAMENTO, Feb. 26, 2010) - Mira Mesa High School will send a team to Sacramento March 6 and 7 to compete for the first time in the eighth annual California ProStart Culinary Cup Competition, hosted by the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Five juniors and seniors enrolled in the school's ROP Culinary Arts and Management program will compete in the Culinary Competition against teams from across the state at Le Cordon Bleu, 2450 Del Paso Road in Sacramento.

The California Restaurant Association San Diego County chapter donated $3,000 to cover the cost of travel for the team and its instructor, Zhee Zhee Aguierre. Participating students are Michael Lestage, Alex Luu, Sean Moran, Gio Salvador and Kirill Hunton.

"We are so thrilled to see a school of Mira Mesa's caliber entering the competition," CRAEF Executive Director Alycia Harshfield said. "The Culinary Competition is a thrilling event with participants engaging in a fast-paced battle of skill and knowledge with limited resources. The students truly get the chance to show off the hard work they've done in the classroom with industry veterans judging their final product."

The two-day Boyds Culinary Cup is divided into two competitions, separately focusing on culinary and management skills. Events are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 6 and from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 7. Culinary competition contestants have just 60 minutes to prepare a three-course meal, with points awarded on specific criteria, such as proper cooking procedures, safety and sanitation, presentation, product taste and teamwork.

Winning teams will be sponsored to compete in the 2010 National ProStart Invitational in Overland Park, Kansas April 30 through May 2. First-, second- and third-place teams also qualify for scholarships to various culinary and hospitality post-secondary programs.

About the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation: CRAEF has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships and grants since its inception in 1981. CRAEF works to enhance education and training programs within the hospitality industry. ProStart is a two-year program designed to prepare high school juniors and seniors for exciting careers in foodservice.