A group of ProStart students from TCHS competed in the 2015 WV Hospitality Cup this month on March 5 and 6 at the Greenbrier resort. They competed in both the highly competitive Culinary and Restaurant Management portions of the competition.
Amber Michael (senior), Amanda Harper(junior), Kelley Wagner(junior), and Alex Dyer(sophomore), comprised the Culinary team, in which they had one hour to prepare a three course meal for a panel of judges. They presented a crab and lobster tian appetizer, and entree of lamb lollipops on toasted couscous, and a gâteau mille (thousand layer) crepe cake for dessert. The students also had to complete detailed costing sheets for each menu item. Out of 16 teams from across the state they placed 3rd.
Tucker County competed in the Restaurant Management competition for the first time this year. Amanda Harper and Alex Dyer placed 2nd out of 6 teams. Each team designed a concept for a new restaurant, and pitched the idea to a panel of judges as if they were investors. Tucker’s concept was an Italian-American fusion restaurant called Let’s Eat. Key components in their concept included emphasis on using local ingredients in their menu and integrating local art into the decor. There was also a critical thinking segment, in which judges asked them how they would handle scenarios that might arise when managing a restaurant.
Being only their second year competing, Tucker County was represented exceptionally well, placing among the top technical schools in the state. Every student took home thousands of dollars in scholarships to top culinary schools from around the country.
Chef Brian Covell was also honored as ProStart Teacher of the Year and received the National Educator of Excellence Award. He is an over-comer, a problem-solver, an innovator, and a dynamic instructor. He will be traveling to Chicago, Illinois to represent Tucker County at The National Restaurant Association International Food Show at
He teaches his culinary students to strive for excellence, to respect each other and to give their best. Chef Brian Covell accelerates and challenges his student’s everyday in the culinary classroom and embodies the saying, “The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates and the great teacher inspires.” Chef Brian Covell is one of those teachers that a student grows up to remember for the rest of their life. He has that significant of an impact on his students and they learn and thrive in his classroom.
