Greendale Culinary Team Wins State Competition

GREENDALE, WI -- Four Greendale High School juniors and their teacher are headed to Washington, D.C. in May to represent the State of Wisconsin at the ProStart National Competition.

Hala Elmughrabi, Dana Fronek, Taylor Javorek, and Hanna Romens prepared a three-course meal in one hour, and were judged by food service industry professionals and college educators on teamwork, cooking procedures, knife skills, food taste, food presentation, menu costing, and safety and sanitation.

Greendale’s menu featured an appetizer of Walnut Falafel, entree course of Chicken Sausage and Rosemary Gnocchi, and dessert of Berries and Lace. The team’s dessert received the “Best Chocolate Dessert” award.

“This team has incredible passion, a plethora of culinary knowledge, and a strong caliber that was showcased at our ProStart Invitational,” - Alex Vernon, ProStart Coordinator of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association Education Foundation said in a prepared statement.

The team will hold practices for the national competition in the afternoon on Thursday, April 4, Wednesday April 10 and 17, and Wednesday, May 1.

Photo: (left to right) Russ Tronsen (Wisconsin Restaurant Association Education Foundation Chairman), Kurt Fogle (Greendale team mentor, Co-owner of Bass Bay Brewhouse, and Pastry Chef Instructor at Milwaukee Area Technical College), GHS students Hanna Romens, Hala Elmughrabi, Taylor Javorek, Dana Fronek, Kayla Correll (GHS Family & Consumer Education Teacher and ProStart® Instructor), Chef Daniel Granat (Greendale team mentor and Executive Sous Chef at the Hilton Hotel City Center), and Scott Schupbach (Director of Marketing for Gordon Food Service). Not pictured is Chef Travis Martinez (Greendale team mentor and Executive Pastry Chef at the Pfister Hotel).