Belgrade and Billings high school teams win statewide hospitality competitions at Gallatin College MSU

BOZEMAN - Three, two, one. ...

The sound of a beeping timer became lost in a wave of applause at Montana State University as high school students put the final touches on their culinary creations and threw their hands in the air. Teachers and parents let out deep sighs and steepled their hands under their chins in a silent plea for their students to do well at the judging panel in this year's ProStart competition on March 19.

ProStart, a two-year hospitality program, prepares thousands of high school students nationwide for industry work through catering events, field trips and an annual competition.  Gallatin College MSU, MSU's two-year college, has hosted six state invitationals in the program's 28-year history. 

Belgrade High School secured its fourth consecutive win in the culinary category among seven teams from across Montana. Students were tasked with preparing a three-course meal in less than 60 minutes, each using only two butane burners in Hannon Hall's dining room. They shuffled multiple pots with one hand and ingredients with the other, while team managers paced back and forth with clipboards, calling out instructions to a chorus of "Heard!" from their teammates.

Belgrade High School's menu featured a seared ahi tuna steak, pan-seared flat iron steak with miso mushroom sauce, and a white chocolate dome filled with green tea-flavored Bavarian cream and yuzu and lychee jelly. Judges lauded them for their ambitious palates, well-cooked tuna and impressive number of time-consuming elements. The positive feedback encouraged a round of fist bumps between team members.

Second and third place were awarded to Skyview High School in Billings and Helena High School, respectively.

"Each student's skill level, refinement and culinary ability is always fun for me to see, whether they're experienced or chewing fingernails because they're nervous," said chef Mike Dean, director of Gallatin College MSU's culinary arts program.

Dean, who helped coordinate the event, noted how much the ProStart students have grown as culinary artists since he visited many of their high school kitchens to share his knowledge. A handful of competitors are enrolled to attend Gallatin College MSU this fall.

"These are seniors who might be here next year in class with us, which is super fun," said Abby Johnson, who expects to graduate from Gallatin College MSU's culinary program next year. "And to go out of their way to do more school stuff over their spring break - they must really love it. It's great they have a passion for something."

Johnson, who was born near Denver but grew up across Europe as a teenager, volunteered to time high school teams throughout the competition and let them know how much time they had left. Watching the young chefs was a reminder of her own culinary dream of attending pastry school in Europe.

Alongside the culinary event, four ProStart teams competed in a business management competition and pitched hypothetical restaurants to judges in Herrick Hall, discussing financial considerations, marketing concepts and interior design. The winning team from Skyview High School created The Hill Bistro and Bakery. It serves pastries and coffee in a café format each morning before transitioning to a casual fine dining restaurant with a menu inspired by Montana flavors, including huckleberry jam bison burgers and Flathead cherry crumbles.

Second and third places went to Belgrade High School and Lewistown's Fergus High School, respectively.

The first-place business management and culinary teams will head to ProStart's national invitational April 24-26 in Baltimore, Maryland. The top five teams from each category will receive academic scholarships ranging from about $2,500 to $7,000.

MSU also hosted about 600 students on Thursday and Friday in Montana Family, Career and Community Leaders of America  competitions, which ranged from knife skills to cupcake decorating to sewing. Top FCCLA students will enter the National Leadership Conference held July 6-10 in Washington, D.C. Competition results will be posted to the national FCCLA  website.