Pennsylvania ProStart

Some more snapshots of our PA ProStart Instructor Workshop from PA Pork! 🐖

Our PA ProStart educators are gearing up for another great school year! 🍽️🧑‍🏫 Teachers from across PA gathered in State College for a full day of learning, hands-on training, and connection with industry partners at the 2026 PA ProStart Instructor Workshop.

Highlights included:
🧰 Building tools for student success with Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association's Hope Sterner & Andrea Trubiano
🍳 Plating & Tasting 101 with Chef Erin Reed, IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Culinary Instructor
💭 ProStart Management Competition: Finding inspiration & ex*****on with Penn State School of Hospitality Management Assistant Professor William Kidd
🎤 An industry panel featuring Sheetz, Aramark Collegiate & Hilton Garden Inn State College
🔪 Hands-on butchery trends, pork fabrication & sausage making at the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Meats Lab
🐖 A look at the PA Pork Program with Katelyn Taylor
📚 Explore Act Tell, Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning

Huge thanks to our workshop supporters, Gordon Food Service and PA Pork, for making this year's event possible!

Here's to another great year of preparing PA's next generation of culinary and hospitality leaders. 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳

Meet Christine, co-owner of Keystone Inn Bed and Breakfast, a historic bed and breakfast located in the heart of Gettysburg. 🏡✨

"I knew hospitality was right for me when I realized how much I loved creating space for people to feel cared for. There's something powerful about watching guests exhale when they walk through the door, knowing they can rest, reconnect, and feel seen."

Read Christine's full to learn about what it's like to run a bed and breakfast, Christine's career path, and her advice for students. 👉
https://bit.ly/4bkctcx

Congratulations to 27 culinary students from Monroe Career and Technical Institute (MCTI) who have earned the ProStart® National Certificate of Achievement (COA)! 👏🤩

Earning this certificate is no small feat. These students passed both the National Restaurant Association's Year 1 and Year 2 exams and completed 400 hours of mentored work experience—demonstrating real-world commitment to their craft.

What this achievement means:
✔️ Industry-recognized foundation in culinary and restaurant management skills
✔️ Cross-trained in front-of-house and back-of-house operations
✔️ Access to scholarships, college credits, and work experience recognition at 60+ colleges and universities

To our MCTI ProStart graduates—your hard work, dedication, and passion for this industry shine through. You are ready to hit the ground running, and the future of hospitality is bright with talent like yours. We can't wait to see where your journey takes you!

🎓 ProStart students: did you know that earning the ProStart COA earns you college credits and/or scholarships at post-secondary culinary and hospitality programs across the U.S.? Check out the 2026 ProStart Passport to learn more: (link in comments)

Congratulations to Clarion County Career Center Chef-Instructor Randy Shook on a well-deserved retirement! 👏 Thank you for your years of dedication and commitment to developing the next generation of culinary and hospitality professionals as a Pennsylvania ProStart educator. 💚

Randy Shook - Thank you for your 20 years of dedicated service as the Culinary Arts & Hospitality Instructor and SkillsUSA Advisor at the Career Center. You will be missed!

Throwback to last month, when Franklin Towne Charter HS Culinary Arts students got the chance to prepare their competition dishes in front of industry professionals at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. Unfortunately, Franklin Towne Charter was unable to attend the 2026 Pennsylvania ProStart Invitational in February due to weather-related issues.

The menu included:
1️⃣ Appetizer - Griddled apple & squash salad with blueberry maple dressing
2️⃣ Entrée - Pan seared duck breast w/ Wojape Maple glaze, Savory Blue corn porridge & sauteed squash
3️⃣ Dessert - Fry bread with Wojape sauce, fresh ricotta & Fruit

Thank you to Walnut Hill Executive V.P. David Morrow, Chef Instructor Akita Brooks, and the entire Walnut Hill College team for opening their kitchen to allow these talented students to showcase their hard work and see their menu come to life!

Thank you Barley Creek Brewing Company for supporting your local Pennsylvania ProStart students at Monroe Career and Technical Institute (MCTI)! 👏🧑‍🍳

After 30 incredible years at Lebanon County Career & Technology Center, Baking & Pastry Arts Instructor Chef Brian Peffley and Culinary Arts Instructor Chef Robert Corle Jr. are hanging up their aprons.

Over three decades, Chefs Peffley and Corle shaped the futures of countless students, pouring their passion and expertise into Lebanon County CTC's culinary and baking programs. Their support of PA ProStart has helped elevate our program and inspire the next generation of culinary professionals.

Congratulations, Chefs—thank you for your leadership, your tireless dedication to your students, and everything you've given to this industry. Wishing you both the very best in your next chapters! 🎉👨‍🍳