Area High School Students Cook Up An Evening of Food and Fundraising

 

Sacramento, Calif. – Students from San Juan, Woodcreek, Roseville, John F. Kennedy, and Folsom high schools, along with local restaurants and wineries, will gather this evening for the third annual Capital Region Culinary Extravaganza.

The event, presented by the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (CRAEF), will take place from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Dante Club, 2330 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento. It will include food and wine tasting, a silent auction and live entertainment. Participating restaurants include Tex Wasabi’s, The Melting Pot, J.R.’s Texas Bar-B-Que, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and The Old Spaghetti Factory, among others.

“These students are truly the future of the restaurant industry in California. Their energy, enthusiasm, and skill when it comes to the art of cooking is impressive even to the most experienced restaurateurs,” said Stella Premo, Executive Director of the CRAEF. “This will be a chance for them to be seen alongside true professionals in the business, show off what they’ve learned through the ProStart® program and raise money for a their programs at the same time.”

Proceeds from the event will benefit the local ProStart® high school culinary programs and CRAEF scholarships. The ProStart® School-to-Career program was developed to increase the quality and employability of today’s high school graduates by providing them with hands on training in the restaurant industry. Currently more than 100 high schools in California teach the ProStart® curriculum. The skills and training that students will gain through the ProStart® program will enable them to capitalize on these opportunities. 

The California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (CRAEF) has awarded nearly $900,000 in scholarships and grants since its inception in 1981. CRAEF works to enhance education and training programs within the hospitality industry. ProStart® is a two-year program designed to prepare high school juniors and seniors for exciting careers in foodservice.

The California Restaurant Association is the definitive voice of the California restaurant and hospitality industry and has served to protect and promote its success since 1906. The restaurant industry is the largest private employer in California, representing more than 1.4 million jobs. Restaurants produce more than $54 billion in sales annually and generate more than $4.5 billion in sales tax for the state.