Berkmar High students win at Georgia ProStart Invitational

     Berkmar High School’s Culinary Arts and Foodservice Management program students earned the highest honor for their outstanding performance at the Georgia ProStart Invitational. Two separate teams won the state title in Culinary Arts and Foodservice Management, respectively. This is Berkmar High’s third consecutive state title in Culinary Arts and the first in Foodservice Management.

     Berkmar High Culinary Arts Instructor James Bryant is proud of his students. “Winning the ProStart Culinary State title for the third consecutive year is an exhilarating achievement. This victory reflects our team's dedication, exceptional teamwork, and our commitment to culinary excellence,” Bryant shares. “Each year presents new challenges, and consistently emerging victorious underscores our commitment to 'trusting our process.’ We are honored to uphold this tradition of excellence for Berkmar High School and the Berkmar Culinary Program. It's an honor to represent Team Georgia.”

     Berkmar High competed against seven other schools from across the state in various activities that included food preparation, problem-solving, and safety. The Culinary Arts team created an innovative three-course meal to win its state title. It included filet mignon, scallops, and blackberry ice cream. The Food-Service Management team presented its restaurant concept, “Campus Cravings Diner,” in a Shark Tank-style presentation to win the title.

     Bryant’s students will now compete for national titles at the 2025 National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 2. The teams will compete against 92 schools from across the country.

The winning teams are as follows:

Culinary Team

• Bryan Benitez
• Ismene Lopez Guillen
• Kim Sy
• Dulce Rosas
• Cynthia Gutierrez-Leon

Management Team

• Kebron Eyasu
• Mikaela Heard
• Adia Hall
• Jesse Silva-Zavala