Students from Hempfield and Greensburg Salem high schools brought home the top prize after participating in a ProStart competition, which focuses on restaurant management and culinary skills.
Kassie Miller of Hempfield, who studies culinary arts at Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, along with Kelly Gillis, a Greensburg Salem student, won first place for their design of a restaurant during the Feb. 26 competition at Penn State University.
“This year it was really great to get that first place win because we come up with a new concept every year, so every year it’s starting fresh and getting those new ideas and figuring out what we’re going to do,” Miller said during Monday’s Hempfield Area School Board meeting. Miller has participated in the competition the past two years, placing second both times.
Throughout the competition, Miller and Gillis were required to write a business plan, create a menu, design the interior of the restaurant and build a floor plan.
The duo competed against students from five other schools.
Hempfield junior Angela Dicks also competed in the event, although she did not place in the top three. Working with a team of students, Dicks was required to plan and cook an appetizer, entree and dessert.
Miller and Gillis will compete at the National ProStart Invitational in Washington D.C. from May 8-10.
