California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
California ProStart Competition Boot Camp
2014-2015
Culinary Competition Overview
• Pasadena Convention Center
• March 22 + 23
• No jeans allowed during the entire competition– even when
you are not competing
• Top 3 teams in each competition receive scholarships
• Top team in each competition goes to the National ProStart
Invitational in Anaheim!
Basics
Product Check-in
• Event organizers will store no product (no truck)
• Product check-in will take place immediately prior to the team entering the competition floor
• Timer will be with team from product check-in to their release back to the public area
• All shipping and receiving rules remain in force
Alternate
The team alternate may act as a team expediter/ captain during the competition within the boundaries noted in the rules.
Knife Skills
• Average of 2 competitors / randomly assigned • Consider: consistency, accuracy, safety and waste• Team selects 4 of 11 cuts – more options this year• Present printed list of selected cuts to judge• Judges randomly selects two competitors to cuts• Product cut must be utilized in menu preparation• No further alteration of product is allowed• No exact amount – enough to judge
Poultry Fabrication• Judges randomly select two competitors from team to
fabricate poultry– NOTE: Should the team have three members, one
will be selected to fabricate and two to do knife skills. Should the team have two members one will fabricate and one will do knife skills.
• Each selected competitor will fabricate one chicken into 6 pieces not including carcass and wings: (2 boneless, skin-on breasts with first joint of wing bone attached and frenched, 2 boneless, skin-on thighs, 2 drumsticks). The remaining wings and full carcass must be displayed. Refer to Foundations of Restaurant Management & Culinary Arts Level 2, Chapter 6, pgs. 383-384.
• Plastic will be provided on one table and can be removed by teams after chicken fabrication is complete.
• Finished chicken pieces may be used by the team - or not
Boyd’s Coffee Culinary Cup
Basics:• Teams of 2-4 students plus 1 alternate• Students will cook on two portable butane burners• No electric powered equipment is allowed (except
battery timers, clock, thermometers and digital scales)
• Teams will provide all pots, pans, small wares, side towels, etc.
Scoring
• A maximum of 105 points can be earned by a team during the culinary competition.
• In case of a tie: The teams that have tied will each be interviewed by a panel of judges and the culinary competition coordinator.
Menu
3 courses: • Starter: salad or appetizer
• Entrée with starch, vegetable, and protein
• Dessert
Heat Sources• Two butane burners
• A butane torch may be used for the purpose of finishing any item, sweet or savory. The torch is only allowed to be used for the purpose of caramelizing or browning the surface of the item, not to cook the item.
• No other fueled or mechanical heat sources will be allowed.
• The use of metal, stone or other types of plates or apparatus to extend the cooking surface of the burners by extending between and covering both burners simultaneously is not allowed.
Dishes
• Teams will be issued the dishes they ordered at product check-in
• It is the team’s responsibility to check their dishes against their order
• We are working to provide hot boxes in the ballroom to keep the plates hot prior to use
Areas to be evaluated
• Shipping and receiving• Knife Skills• Poultry Fabrication – new rules/cuts• Team Presentation / Work Skills / Organization• Safety and Sanitation• Product Taste / Finished Product• Menu and Recipe Presentation
Disqualification
Did not attend pre-meeting Team received coaching of any kind during the
event Use of electric or battery powered equipment Use of additional burner Team did not produce two complete meals Team starts more than 10 minutes early, or
finishes meal preparation more than 10 min late
Penalties Station left in unsanitary manner 3 pts Finishing late – ¼ point per 15 seconds Up to 10
pts After 10 minutes team is disqualified Starting early - 1 point per minute. 1-10 pts After 10 minutes team is disqualified Use of pre-prepared ingredients 5 pts Two meals not identical 2 pts Use of unauthorized dishes/glassware 5 pts Failure to submit folders at check-in 2 pts Replacement product did not meet requirements 3 pts Failure to use knife cuts in final plates 2 pts Alternate touched product or actively involved 5 pts in production
Top Rule Deductions• Product check in
Solution: properly label all items, complete lists inside of coolers and containers, all items listed are present, check temperatures, pack correctly, separate cooler for proteins
• Safety + SanitationSolution: stay aware through-out competition, proper glove use, stay very aware in plate-up, stay clean: station, personally
• MenuSolution: properly titles menu items, check spelling and math closely andmultiple times, make certain packets are complete and nothing extra
• TasteSolution: taste as you prepare, know what product should taste like, too much or
too little salt/seasoning will hurt
• Exceeding Time – 15 of 26 teams went over time in ’14! Solution: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!