KitchenAid Brand’s Support of Michigan Hospitality Foundation Competition Gives Students Invaluable Culinary Experience

Earlier this year, more than 400 students from across the state participated in Michigan Hospitality Foundation’s (MHF) ProStart Invitational sponsored by KitchenAid. It’s the highest-level competition for Michigan high school students training for culinary and hospitality careers. Through this program, students had the opportunity to compete against other culinary students, with the winning teams receiving an invitation to the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at the Harbor Shores Golf Club in Benton Harbor, Mich. for a unique culinary opportunity.

In the pasta competition, teams of young, aspiring chefs from five high schools were recognized for their pasta creations:

• Bay Arenac ISD
• RCTC Ypsilanti
• Gaylord High School
• Allegan ESA
• DCTC Riverview High School

Last month, these five high school teams were invited to work side-by-side with professional chefs at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. The teams reprised their pasta competition, this time judged by KitchenAid celebrity chefs in front of a live audience. They also had the opportunity to engage in educational sessions led by renowned chefs.

This in-depth experience helped the students gain insight into the hospitality industry and explore diverse career pathways. DCTC Riverview High School was crowned the grand champion with their Red Coconut Curry Pasta creation. Each team member from DCTC Riverview, including their educator, took home a KitchenAid stand mixer, and each participating team received a KitchenAid stand mixer for their classroom.

“The KitchenAid ProStart Pasta Competition took students beyond the kitchen and taught them critical life lessons around preparation, critical thinking, communication, flexibility and teamwork,” said Amanda Smith, executive director of the MHF. “These are all skills that directly relate to their future culinary careers, and experiences like this are invaluable at this point in their education.”

The KitchenAid ProStart Pasta Competition took students beyond the kitchen and taught them critical life lessons around preparation, critical thinking, communication, flexibility and teamwork.”

Opportunities in the industry are rapidly growing. Hospitality is currently an $18 billion dollar industry in Michigan supporting 595,000 jobs and ranks among the top 10 fastest growing sectors in the state with 20,000 current job openings. The KitchenAid brand hopes to further develop the next generation of culinary professionals across the state through impactful, hands-on education.