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If you can't stand the
heat . . .
Schoharie Career & Tech
Culinary students field-test national exam
Would you volunteer to take a
hands-on, high-level, two-day test given by some of the nation's top chef-educators?
Students in Chef Iannacone's
Culinary Arts & Hospitality Technology class at
Career & Tech's Schoharie campus did so on December 15 and 16, when they
field-tested a ProStart Practical Exam for the National Restaurant
Association. ProStart is the association's education and certification
program recognized nationally by educators and employers alike.
The
hands-on ProStart exam is being developed by the National Restaurant
Association's Educational Foundation to complement its rigorous written exam
already given to second-year culinary students, including those in Chef
Iannacone's class. For the practical exam field test, seniors had to
demonstrate a range of skills from fabricating a chicken (cutting a whole
chicken into eight pieces) to preparing an entree, vegetable and starch;
making rolls, French bread and biscuits; and reparing soup and sauce.
While a
bit reluctant at first to put themselves to the test, the Culinary students
were happy they participated in the ProStart field test. "It was a very good
learning experience that challenged my basic skills and made them better,"
said Kyle Page, who's also a senior at Cobleskill-Richmondville High School.
Page plans to head to college in the fall for culinary arts and is deciding
between Paul Smith's College, New England Culinary Insitute and SUNY Dehli.
With
ProStart competitions upcoming, Chef Iannacone was likewise pleased with her
class's positive experience testing the new practical exam.
"The New York State Restaurant Association, led by
Director Harold Qualters, has been instrumental in securing learning and
competition opportunities for Schoharie Career & Tech's Culinary students,
and it was an honor to be chosen as a select group of schools to field-test
the national ProStart Practical Exam," she said.
"Our seniors
currently take the national written exam, and all of our students here learn
from the ProStart curriculum, compete in sanctioned events and pursue
national ServSafe certification, all of which builds their skills, resumes
and college applications."
Iannacone was 2007-08 New York State ProStart
Teacher of the Year and instructor of the 2007 and 2008 New York State
ProStart championship teams.
Testing
the Schoharie Culinary students on December 15 and 16 were New
York State Restaurant Association Director Harold Qualters, Dr.
Jerald W. Chesser, CEC, FMP, CCE, AAC, professor at The Collins College of
Hospitality Management of California Polytechnic Institute, and National
Restaurant Association ProStart Program Director William Nolan.
National Restaurant Association ProStart Examiner Dr. Jerald W. Chesser
tests Schoharie Culinary Arts & Hospitality senior Danille Cross (BKW HS) on
chickeh fabrication during the national ProStart Practical Exam field test
at Schoharie campus on December 16, 2009.
[12/17/09]
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