During the first weekend in May, Baltimore will be the backdrop to a national culinary cook-off for high school students, the National ProStart Invitational (NPSI). Students from around the country will compete for top titles, scholarships, and more, and an Anne Arundel County Public School (AACPS) team has made it to this national competition.
From May 2 – 4, the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront will host over 400 of the nation’s next generation of chefs. These students have been competing across the United States at their state competitions for the chance to go to nationals in Baltimore.
ProStart is a two-year culinary arts and restaurant management program for high school students. There are ProStart programs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico.
Over the course of 27 years, the program has educated more than one million students. In addition to classroom education, students are paired with mentors in the industry and gain real-life experience and skills.
Industry professionals like Chef Lamar Moore, a Chicago-based chef and restaurateur, came through the NPSI. He has competed on the Food Network and has mentored ProStart students.
In March 2025, teams from AACPS swept the top three awards at the Maryland ProStart Student Invitational, and the Northeast High School team of Connor Bateman, IfeOluwa Olajide, Jairo Lopez, and M.J. Monforte claimed first prize overall.
The winners from each state, including Northeast High School’s student winners, will now travel with their teams, mentors, friends, and families to participate in the national competition in front of esteemed chef judges and industry professionals.
There are two events featuring the students: one is a culinary competition in which they must prepare a three-course meal in 60 minutes with no running water or electricity; the other is a management competition in which they pitch innovative restaurant concepts and take on real-world business challenges.
The top five teams from the culinary and management competitions are awarded educational scholarships to further their careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Last year’s competition saw over $200,000 in scholarships awarded to the winning students.
