culinary arts

PIERRE - Culinary Arts teachers in several South Dakota high schools are better prepared for the upcoming school year thanks to training provided through the South Dakota Retailers Association and the National Restaurant Association (NRA).

Deb Rombough, a teacher from the Harrisburg High School, participated in the ProStart Summer Institute, which provides in-depth culinary training, including “mise en place” (kitchen prep), various cooking methods, details about modern restaurants and the foodservice industry, and kitchen management skills.

The South Dakota Retailers Association sponsored these training sessions in partnership with a grant from the NRA.

Rombough, attended the Level Three course this summer.

“The Level Three ProStart Summer Institute provided me the opportunity to network with professionals from around the country," Rombough explained. " I am working to expand my knowledge base to provide my learners with more opportunities and experiences. I am looking forward to applying what I learned to my courses at Harrisburg High School. This training is important to stay up to date on skills and to build relationships with businesses and industry partners."

ProStart is a nationwide, two-year program for high school students that develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow's restaurant and hospitality industry leaders. ProStart instructors teach an industry-driven curriculum that provides real-world education and builds practical expertise for a foundation that will last a lifetime, from culinary techniques to management skills.

"The grant we received from the National Restaurant Association is crucial to the success of the ProStart program in South Dakota," said Seanna Regynski, South Dakota ProStart Director. "We’re proud to be able to partner with them and local school districts to offer this high-level professional development."

ProStart Summer Institute trainers are culinary professionals from some of the top institutes around the nation, giving South Dakota ProStart instructors an excellent source of information for their students. This year, the South Dakota Retailers Association provided training grants to instructors from Clark, Harrisburg, Huron, and Mobridge-Pollock.

The South Dakota Retailers Association represents hundreds of restaurants and hospitality businesses. ProStart is a joint effort of the South Da