Taunton High School’s culinary team prepared Scoglio Polka as an appetizer, Lamb Loin Roulade as the main course and Espresso Panna Cotta as dessert at this year’s ProStart Invitational competition. (Photo courtesy Taunton Public Schools) 
THS management team, comprised of juniors Jonathon Henderson, Tatum Doman, Israel Cruz and Kaia Leonard, received second place out of the five management teams for their innovative digital restaurant concept, 0Atmosphere. (Photo courtesy Taunton Public Schools) 
Taunton High School’s culinary team at this year’s ProStart Invitational competition.(Photo courtesy Taunton Public Schools)
TAUNTON — Superintendent John Cabral and Principal Scott Holcomb are pleased to announce that Taunton High School’s Culinary Arts and Management teams received top scores at the Massachusetts State ProStart Invitational.
The Massachusetts State ProStart Invitational was held on Tuesday, March 22, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. At the event, sponsored by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation, students competed in culinary and/or management competitions judged by industry professionals.
At this year’s competition, 13 Taunton High School students competed, including five students on the culinary team and four students on two different management teams. The teams were joined by their coaches, management team coach Sarah Gibson and culinary team coach Chef Leigh Howlett with assistance from Chef John Collins.
During the competition, the culinary team cooked a three-course meal, all of which on two gas burners, in one hour for a panel of elite culinary judges. This year’s team prepared Scoglio Polka as an appetizer, Lamb Loin Roulade as the main course and Espresso Panna Cotta as dessert.
Taunton High School’s culinary team won first place out of 13 teams and qualified for the national competition in early May in Washington, DC. Members of this year’s culinary team were seniors Maliyah Touron, Emily Robinson, Torrin Hodgson, Ethan Ross and manager junior Nolen Langley.
In addition to the team award, Langley received an award for the best manager and Robinson received accolades for the best appetizer of the day.
Taunton High School’s management teams created a complete restaurant concept, including a design, business proposal, menu and marketing plan which they presented to a panel of elite industry judges.
The THS management team, comprised of juniors Jonathon Henderson, Tatum Doman, Israel Cruz and Kaia Leonard, received second place out of the five management teams for their innovative digital restaurant concept, 0Atmosphere.
Henderson also received a best/creative marketing award for his ¨Cheflebrity¨ marketing tactic.
The senior management team, comprised of Torrin Hodgson, Regi Silva, Sophie Wallace and Mikal Steward, was also praised for their presentation and concept knowledge at this year’s competition. They presented an almost entirely outdoor concept with a grill your own meat feature.
Taunton High School’s culinary students have competed in the ProStart Invitational competition since 2014 and are now two-time state champions. Management students have competed since 2017 and are three-time state champions (2017, 2019, 2021) and have been awarded second place three times (2018, 2020, 2022).
“Each year, the ProStart Invitational gives our students the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of panels of industry experts and they all greatly look forward to this event,” Superintendent Cabral said. “We’re extremely proud of all of our Taunton High School students who participated in this year’s ProStart Invitational competition as they all performed exceptionally well.”
Taunton High School was one of the three comprehensive high schools competing at this year’s event. In total, 13 schools participated.
“Through programs and events such as ProStart, Taunton High School proves that comprehensive high schools prepare their students just like our neighboring vocational schools using the highest industry standards,” Principal Holcomb said.
The ProStart Invitational competition supplements the ProStart two-year curriculum and hands-on program put forth by the National Restaurant Association that develops the best and brightest talent in tomorrow’s foodservice leaders. To learn more about the program, click here.
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