ProStart Professional Development™

June 24, 2:00 p.m. ET

ProStart Educator Onboarding and Best Practices

• Alex Diachok, Career & Technical Education Program Coordinator
• Chef Dominic Hawkes, Culinary Instructor, Lancaster County School District Career Center
• Chef Joshua Phillips, Culinary Instructor, Clinton Public Schools

In this webinar, new and current instructors will receive a comprehensive introduction to the ProStart program. The national ProStart team will review the core details of how to get started, including key national systems and resources, timelines, and how-to instructions on setting up your program for success. The session also features veteran ProStart educators covering how to start the school year strong, effective classroom management, and fundraising strategies. Join us to gain actionable insights, tools, and best practices to successfully launch and grow your ProStart program.

July 8, 2:00 p.m. ET

Recipe for Success: ProStart Curriculum + Certifications That Matter

• Maggie Braunscheidel, Senior Academic Sales Representative, National Restaurant Association
• Lauren Robin, Senior Manager, K12 Academic Sales, National Restaurant Association

Explore the Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts, 3rd Edition and learn how to pair it with industry-recognized certifications like ServSafe and AHLEI Guest Service Gold to boost student career readiness. This webinar highlights updated curriculum components and simple strategies to align instruction with certification success. Let’s help our learners turn classroom knowledge into culinary careers!

BONUS: All attendees will receive a FREE Guest Service Gold online course + exam (new edition). This is your opportunity to evaluate an AHLEI industry-recognized credential for your classroom while also adding to your own professional profile!

July 22, 2:00 p.m. ET

Leveling Up Student Success Through Competition, Certification, and Culture

• Aruna S. Lien B.SC., M.A., Culinary Arts Educator, Atlantic Technical College

This engaging and motivational webinar explores how ProStart educators can elevate student success through the intentional development of classroom culture, leadership opportunities, competitions, certification preparation, and student-based enterprises.

Drawing on real-world experiences in both secondary and postsecondary culinary education, this session will provide educators with practical, replicable strategies to transform culinary classrooms into high-performing ProStart programs centered on professionalism, accountability, engagement, and student ownership.

Participants will learn how competitive teams, SERV Safe certification preparation, industry partnerships, and student leadership opportunities can positively impact student confidence, motivation, career readiness, and classroom culture.

The session will also highlight real-world examples of the role of student-based enterprises in developing entrepreneurial skills, branding concepts, customer service experience, production systems, teamwork, and school-wide engagement. The webinar will also showcase how off-site catering experiences and community partnerships help students build confidence, professionalism, teamwork, and authentic workforce-readiness skills.

Through storytelling, classroom examples, competition experiences, and authentic program visuals, participants will ain insight into how successful ProStart programs can be built through consistency, mentorship, culture-building, and industry alignment.

August 4, 2:00 p.m. ET

Creating Inclusive Menus: How Culinary Students Can Cook for Everyone

• Rob Gresham, Founder, Isaac’s Poultry Market

Today’s diners bring a wide range of dietary needs, preferences, and expectations to the table. How can culinary educators prepare students to meet these needs while still delivering exceptional flavor?

Join Rob Gresham, owner of Isaac’s Poultry Market, for an inspiring and practical session on building truly inclusive menus that don’t compromise on taste. Guided by the belief that food should bring people together, Rob has developed a menu rooted in simplicity and integrity while remaining both accessible and crave-worthy.

Rob will share how he intentionally crafts recipes to minimize common allergens, eliminate cross-contamination, and prioritize guest safety at every step. Just as importantly, he will demonstrate that inclusive food can still be award-winning: his signature chicken sandwich earned “Best Sandwich” honors from the Restaurant Association of Maryland and placed in the Top 10 at the 2023 World Food Championships.

Educators will walk away with strategies to help students:

• Think critically about allergens and dietary restrictions when developing recipes
• Design menus that are both inclusive and delicious
• Understand kitchen practices that prevent cross-contamination
• Build transparency and trust with diners through clear communication
• Embrace food as a tool for connection, hospitality, and community

This session will empower you to teach the next generation of culinary professionals how to create flavorful, inclusive dining experiences where every guest feels safe, welcome, and excited to eat.