NMRA News:
ALBUQUERQUE — The Hospitality Industry Education Foundation (HIEF) and New Mexico Restaurant Association (NMRA) will host the 23rd Annual New Mexico ProStart Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico on March 9, 2026, at the Albuquerque Convention Center. More than 90 top ProStart students from across the state will demonstrate their mastery of restaurant leadership skills in Culinary and Management in a fast-paced competition to win their share of generous post-secondary scholarships. The 1st place team in each category will be crowned the State Champions and represent New Mexico at the National ProStart Invitational, the country’s premier high school competition focused on restaurant management and culinary arts, in Baltimore, MD, April 24 – 26, 2026.
The culinary competition highlights the creative abilities of each team as they prepare a three-course meal in 60 minutes, using only two butane burners with no access to running water or electricity. Teams are evaluated on taste, teamwork, safety and sanitation, among other skills. Management teams develop a business proposal for an original restaurant concept and present it to a panel of industry judges, who challenge them to address the issues restaurant managers face on a daily basis.
Talented students from these New Mexico high schools will compete for the state championship:
- Alamogordo
- Cuba
- Carlsbad
- Eldorado
- Penasco
- Questa
- Santa Fe Indian School
- Volcano Vista
- Taos
Booths/Educators in attendance:
- Central NM Community College
- Eastern NM University – Culinary Arts
- New Mexico State University – School of HRTM
- NM Beef Council
Tom Schuch, the Director of Education for the New Mexico Restaurant Association is also the state coordinator for the NM ProStart program. “These juniors and seniors go through an intensive two-year culinary program that teaches them not only marketable industry skills but also gives them a spectrum of real-world work experience that will benefit them the rest of their lives.”
In the 2025-2026 academic year, the Hospitality Industry Education Foundation is working with 41 high schools across the state to introduce over 2200 students to career opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality foodservice industries through the ProStart program. Nationally, ProStart is taught in more than 1800 schools and reaches nearly 140,000 students in the United States, Guam and Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Europe and Asia.
ProStart teaches the culinary and management skills required by the nation’s restaurant, hospitality and foodservice employers. This is achieved through the curriculum – Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts – developed in partnership with the industry. With total restaurant and foodservice employment projected to grow by 11% over the next 10 years, the New Mexico Restaurant Association is committed to ensuring the development of a highly-trained and professional talent pool through scholarships and educational programs.
“Thanks to the dedication and leadership of New Mexico Restaurant Association, ProStart is part of a national movement to empower students with the training and opportunities they need to achieve fulfilling, lifelong careers,” said Rob Gifford, executive vice president of philanthropic initiatives for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. “ProStart’s industry-driven curriculum offers culinary and management education that opens doors to a wide range of employment paths and opportunities for advancement.”
For more information on the New Mexico ProStart program please visit https://www.nmrestaurants.org/prostart-program/
About the New Mexico Restaurant Association
At NMRA, our mission is to drive prosperity in the food and beverage industry across New Mexico. With over 1,500 members spanning 111 cities statewide, our vision is to improve New Mexico’s communities, jobs, and economy through a thriving food and beverage industry. Since 1946, NMRA has championed the interests of the culinary community, striving to uplift communities, create jobs, and bolster the economy. For more information on NMRA, visit www.nmrestaurants.org.
About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF exists to enhance the restaurant industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities. The NRAEF works to attract, develop and retain a career-oriented professional workforce for the restaurant industry. The restaurant and foodservice industry comprise 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of more than 14 million employees, making it one of the nation’s largest employers. For more information on the NRAEF, visit nraef.org.