Nantucket High School Culinary Team Takes Third Place In Statewide Competition

The Nantucket High School culinary team placed third out of a dozen schools competing in the Prostart Invitational Culinary Competition at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, and was recognized with the “best team work" award.

The competition, hosted by the National Restaurant Association's Education Foundation, included student teams from across the state that demonstrate their business acumen and culinary skills. Winning teams can earn scholarships, honors and the opportunity to compete against the very best teams from other states at the National ProStart Invitational.

The three students on the Nantucket team included Evan Keeler, Suppanat "Guy" On-In, and Alice O'Banion, who were led by instructor Tom Proch, the former chef at the Club Car restaurant.

They cooked a starter dish that included an arancini rie ball with fontina and pecorino cheese, served on a fresh tomato fondue with sautéd eggplant, topped with fresh basil chiffonade.

The team's entree was a pan-seared, crispy skin salmon with celery root reduction, sautéed asparagus, portobello mushrooms, and a beet and asparagus flan.

For desert, the students prepared a steamed meringue and a chocolate avocado pudding, with fresh mango collar, crunchy raspberry tanghulu, star fruit, dragon fruit, kiwi, creme anglaise, and a raspberry coulis.

"I have a great team," Proch told the Current.