P-CEP Culinary Team Takes Second Place at National ProStart Invitiational

The 2025 Michigan State Champion P-CEP Culinary Team added another in the program's long list of well-deserved accomplishments recently when the group's student chefs finished in second place at the National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore, MD. 

Under the direction of P-CEP culinary program lead instructor Diana Woodward, team members Brandon Knight, Mia Maiolatesi, Justin Anhauser, Kobe Chen, and Ophelia Andrade battled teams from 48 states, and bested over 20 programs whose culinary teams are corporately sponsored.

The team’s winning dishes included an appetizer of soy-glazed pork belly with matcha pea enoki and carrot, an entree of duck prepared two ways with sweet potato vegetables and blackberry, and a dessert of mango and hibiscus with white chocolate coconut and tropical fruit. The students crafted the dishes within a one hour time limit with no running water or electricity, using a camp stove to prepare the meal.

Team members received a variety of prizes for their accomplishments, including professional knife sets, and over $100,000 in scholarships.