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Amuse-Bouche: The children are our future
Published
9 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersBy Scott Mechura EBS Food Columnist
A chef’s world is often filled with challenges. But mentoring the young people of today about the prospects of becoming future chefs is not one of them.
While it’s true chefs can get caught up in their own windowless, stainless steel, overheated world, we also enjoy the times when we get to step into the light and spend time with the young people who will become our next generation’s workforce.
Given that the hospitality industry is the nation’s largest trade, statistically, several students will find themselves employed in a restaurant or hotel in some form or another. So on March 8, I had the honor of acting as one of the chef judges for the Montana Prostart competition, held this year in Bozeman.
Founded in 1987, Prostart is a foundation of the National Restaurant Association. Prostart is a two-year program with a mission to educate, mentor, and inspire high school students in the restaurant and hospitality industry.
The program has more than 118,000 students in 1,700 schools in all 50 states. Montana currently has 18 programs across the state, an impressive statistic when you consider we have approximately 1 million residents. Compare this percentage with California, which has just under 40 million residents and 100 Prostart programs statewide.
This annual competition allows students bragging rights, but it’s also the only event in a year-round program that fully immerses these young cooks in the culinary world. For the second year in a row, I joined a plethora of chefs from around the state to judge the state competition here in Montana.
The students are asked to prepare three dishes: a starter, an entrée and a dessert. They have one hour and just two butane burners on which to produce these three courses. I was a floor judge last year, but as a tasting judge this year’s competition, in the dessert category alone, two teams put out perfectly moist, structured cakes that some pastry chefs couldn’t duplicate even with expensive ovens.
Initially, the students spend months planning, discussing, and practicing their dishes. They decide on a menu first, usually trying to focus their three dishes on a theme: Italian, French, southeast Asian, or American, to name a few.
Next, they come up with dish ideas, while keeping in mind they have no running water and a mere two-butane burner cooking station for the allotted 60 minutes. When possible, restaurants like Buck’s T-4 Lodge invite students from the area to visit and spend a day with us. And, like sponge cakes being doused in sweet liqueur, these kids soak up the information we offer with fervor.
Besides the gratification of seeing these young people blossom into hardworking adults, the hidden bonus is coming together with other chefs from around Montana to mentor these youths. The camaraderie and respect is simply tremendous.
Personally, I was able to catch up with many colleagues, and exchange stories, anecdotes and jokes.
I feel fortunate to be part of an industry that mentors young people to this degree and allows them to see the fruits of their labors.
Scott Mechura has spent a life in the hospitality industry. He is a former certified beer judge and currently the Executive Chef at Buck’s T-4 Lodge in Big Sky.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
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Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
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July 29 (Monday) 6:00 pm - October 7 (Monday) 6:00 pm
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Hike Big Sky is a FREE guided hike for our community and visitors alike. A different trail will be featured each Monday at 9 a.m. Visit BSCO.org for trail description
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Hike Big Sky is a FREE guided hike for our community and visitors alike. A different trail will be featured each Monday at 9 a.m. Visit BSCO.org for trail description information. Please wear layers, bring water and snacks. Bear spray recommended.
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August 5 (Monday) 9:00 am - October 7 (Monday) 12:00 pm
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Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
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August 5 (Monday) 6:00 pm - October 14 (Monday) 6:00 pm
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Join Santosha, BASE and Gourmet Gals to bring you a donation based all levels community yoga lunch break class every Wednesday throughout the summer. It will be
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Join Santosha, BASE and Gourmet Gals to bring you a donation based all levels community yoga lunch break class every Wednesday throughout the summer. It will be taught by a variety of teachers from Santosha and BASE. This summer all proceeds will go to Big Sky Band-Aid, aside from the first one on the 26th that is happening during Pride week- all funds donated for that class will go to Big Sky OUT. A delicious lunch will also be served by Gourmet Gals following our practice each Wednesday (included in donation). You are welcome to donate with cash at the event or you can Venmo @Santoshabigsky and make a note for Community Yoga. Hope to see you in the Park!
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August 7 (Wednesday) 12:00 pm - October 7 (Monday) 1:00 pm
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Len Hill Park