LT culinary student takes state honors, headed to nationals

Lyons Township High School senior Jason Fung, of Brookfield, and fellow culinary teammates, are headed to a national cooking competition this spring after being named state champions in the 18th Annual Illinois ProStart® Invitational.

For several months, the team, comprised of students enrolled in the Professional Cooking, Baking & Service program at Technology Center of DuPage, a career elective offered to juniors and seniors by DuPage area high school districts, has been preparing for the state competition. The contest required culinary teams to develop a multi-course menu, which they then prepared in a timed contest under the eyes of industry judges.

The winning state champ culinary team is now eligible to represent Illinois in the National ProStart® Invitational May 8-10 in Washington D.C.

Fung’s fellow culinary team members include two students from Wheaton North, one from Lake Park and another from Glenbard West.

Another TCD team took second place in the Management Team category, where teams were tasked with designing a restaurant concept, including a business and marketing plan, which they presented to a panel of restaurant professionals. The 2nd place Management Team included LT students senior Meagan Villarruel, of Countryside, and senior Azariya Dismuke, of LaGrange.

The Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation hosted the Invitational and welcomed high school student competitors from across the state to McCormick Place for a full day of culinary and restaurant management competitions.

Technology Center of DuPage is the elective career and technical education facility governed by 13 DuPage high school districts and Lyons Township High School District 204. Every school day, students travel to the campus in Addison to spend about two hours immersed in the study of a specific career path, with the opportunity to apply acquired academic and practical skills as they prepare for post-secondary education in that field.