Congratulations to Wilbur Cross Culinary Educator Nathaniel Bradshaw for being named Connecticut's 2023 ProStart Educator of Excellence. 

Chef Bradshaw has been a ProStart educator for over 10 years. Bradshaw says, "I love teaching culinary. Cooking and working in the kitchen brings me so much joy and I look forward to every day bringing my joy and knowledge of what I love to my students. Helping students learn new skills that can help them be self-sufficient in life after high school is important to me."

After COVID, he has seen so many of his students struggle socially. He feels his class is a great way for students to come out of their shell. "I create lessons to help put more labs where the students can move around in the kitchen or create situations where they must work with each other. The message I try to send is that it's more important to work with each other and to be part of a team than to be alone and isolated," says Bradshaw. 

Each year, the Connecticut Hospitality Educational Foundation is able to recognize one ProStart Educator as Connecticut's Educator of Excellence. The honor comes with recognition on at the National ProStart Invitational Awards Dinner and a trip to the ProStart Educational Professional Development. This year the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) offered a week long seminar in Dallas, TX exclusively for ProStart Educators across the country. During that time, the Educators of Excellence were also recognized in front of their peers and mentors for their hard work and dedication. 

High school students participating in the culinary and restaurant management program ProStart had the opportunity to work along side five of Connecticut's top chefs at the annual CRA Golf Classic CHEF Farm Dinner. 

Students from Crosby High School in Waterbury, Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven and Windsor High School spent their day prepping and plating for nearly 300 attendees. This year the students worked with Chef Ken Arnone (Jealous Monk, Rio Salado, Taquerio, Rio Rapido, El Sueno, Andiamo), Chef Clark Neugold (Foundry Kitchen & Tavern, Good Old Days Pizzeria, Marygold's on Main), Chef Tom Kaldy (The Charles, Bake Market), Chef Tyler Hodge (Hoodoo Brown BBQ), and Chef Franck Iglesias (Cake by Franck, Foxwoods Resort Casino). 

This is just one of opportunities for students in the ProStart program to learn more about the industry. It also showcases the talent coming out of the program to our member restaurants and chefs. 

ProStart is a two-year career-building program for high school students that prepares them to work in the hospitality industry. To learn more, CLICK HERE. ​

The Connecticut Hospitality Educational Foundation (CHEF) and Connecticut Restaurant Association are proud to announce partnerships with three community business organizations in Connecticut that are helping find new restaurant workers and put them on a career path to success. Restaurant Ready is a national program dedicated to helping people acquire the basic job and life skills necessary to pursue jobs in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and jumpstart a pathway to independence.

ProStart Pros: Where Are They Now
Genesis Padilla
el Segundo, Executive Sous Chef

Genesis Padilla was a ProStart student at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, CT. As part of the culinary team, Genesis represented Connecticut at the National ProStart Invitational at Disneyland in 2015 and again in 2017 in Charleston, SC. Genesis is now the Executive Sous Chef at el Segundo in New Haven.