Greater Dallas Restaurant Association

Top Student Chefs Awarded over $80,000 in Scholarships at
Greater Dallas Restaurant Association
Annual Scholarship Dinner
Culinary Stars Among Area High School Programs Showcased
DALLAS (April 30, 2008) - More than $80,000 in scholarships were awarded to
15 deserving students by the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association at their
Annual Scholarship Dinner, held at City Place Conference Center on April 10.
The culinary star students are in their senior year and enrolled in the GDRA’s FS
Prep Programs, part of the culinary arts program at their high school. Leaders in
the restaurant industry funded the scholarships and presented the awards to the
students. (Photos at end of document; high res photos available on request).
“We are so proud of the accomplishments of each of the students who received
scholarships, and of all of our FS Prep students in North Texas, “said Jamee
Green, executive director, Greater Dallas Restaurant Association. “This is an
essential initiative for our region’s burgeoning industry: keeping the standards
high in our business and inspiring students in the culinary arts to pursue and
achieve successful careers in a field that will only grow and provide opportunity
for advancement.”
Students winning scholarships were Joshua Carter (Allen HS); Michelle Flowers
(Plano East HS); Vanessa Garcia (Newman Smith HS); Joan Haefner (Keller
HS); Jennifer McDowell (Newman Smith HS); Bailey Reed (Keller HS); Robin
Reininger (Wylie HS); Karla Rosas (Wylie HS); Madeline Sandretti (Trinity HS);
Ashley Sears (Allen HS); Justin Simpson (Billy Ryan HS / ATC); Whitney Spitz
(Legacy HS); Alberto Trueba (Billy Ryan HS / ATC) and Esther Wu (Allen HS).
The students are continuing their culinary arts education at a variety of schools,
including Culinary Institute of America, Le Cordon Bleu, Texas Tech University,
Texas State University, Johnson & Wales, El Centro and Collin College.
Presenters included representatives from the 2007-08 GDRA Founders Club
Partners: Sysco, Admiral Linen, Ben E. Keith Co., Brothers Produce, Direct
Energy, Dr Pepper, Hardie's Fruit & Vegetable, Heartland Payment Systems,
Medical City Heart, Pepsi, Reliant Energy, Schepps Dairy, US Foodservice, and
scholarship donors such as Savor Dallas and Standard Meat Company.
A $10,000 scholarship was also awarded to Vanessa Garcia (Newman Smith
High School) in honor of restaurant industry legend C. “Gus” Katsigris, founder of
the acclaimed El Centro Food and Hospitality program.
Since 2003, the GDRA has awarded more than $125,000 in scholarships, with
funds raised by association events and donations from the industry and
suppliers. High school seniors enrolled in a culinary arts program or a current
college student enrolled as a hospitality major are eligible to apply.
Due to the success of GDRA’s fundraising programs, the growth of the industry
and the expansion of the program in area schools, GDRA will award $80,000 in
scholarships in the year 2008 alone.
FS Prep, designed by the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation
(TRAEF), is a two-year, comprehensive culinary and foodservice instructional
resource developed for high school teachers and includes daily lesson plans,
PowerPoint presentations, lab and lecture guides, supplementary materials, tests
and quizzes; all in modular and electronic format.
Developed in 2001 and updated in recent years, FS Prep has been adopted by
over 70 high schools throughout Texas. Currently, local chapters of the Texas
Restaurant Association (TRA) have begun implementing FS Prep curriculum into
their neighborhood schools.
About GDRA
As a local chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association, The Greater Dallas
Restaurant Association strives to promote growth of the restaurant industry by
providing educational programs, public awareness campaigns, and grass-roots
government affairs initiatives. Our association is just over 1,000 members strong,
making it one of the largest trade associations in Dallas.
We are committed to the long-term health of the industry, and are supported by
restaurateurs and suppliers of the restaurant industry. Our focus is to not only
provide political support for restaurants, but to raise funds for those who will be
the future of our industry, support community events and hospitality industryrelated organizations, and market our members.
For more information, visit www.gdra.org.
###
For more information, contact:
Fran Gallagher
Praestar Public Relations
214-762-6193
[email protected]
Brian Priess, Duke McLaughlin and
Dave Allen.
Joe Acuff, Michelle Flowers (Plano
East Senior High School), Debbie
Acuff and Gregory Flowers.
Savor Dallas donated $5,000 to the Greater Dallas
Restaurant Association scholarship fund.
From left: Jeff Barker (President, Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association), Vicki Briley White and Jim White (founders,
Savor Dallas).
Jeff Barker (President, Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association), Jamee Green (Executive Director, Greater
Dallas Restaurant Association), and Baine Brooks (1st VP;
Exec. Comm., Education-Chairman, GDRA Two Rows Grill).
The Gus Katsigris Memorial Scholarship was awarded to
Vanessa Garcia (Newman Smith High School). The
scholarship is in honor of restaurant industry legend C.
“Gus” Katsigris, founder of the acclaimed El Centro Food
and Hospitality program. Vanessa plans on attending El
Centro College.
Clockwise from left: Gus Katsigris, Jeff Barker (President,
Greater Dallas Restaurant Association), Linda Mayfield
(Newman HS Instructor) and Newman Smith HS senior
Vanessa Garcia.
Karla Rosas (Wylie High School) won
the $10,000 FS Prep scholarship
sponsored by Sysco. She also plans
to continue her culinary arts education
at Johnson & Wales.
In photo, from left: Jeff Barker
(President, Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association), Steve DeShazo (Wylie
HS Culinary Arts), scholarship winner
Karla Rosas and Ron Quick (Sysco).
Joshua Carter (Allen High School) was awarded the $5,000
FS Prep scholarship sponsored by Schepps Dairy. He plans
on continuing his culinary arts education at either The
Culinary Institute of America or Johnson & Wales University.
In photo, from left: Dan Reinhard (Allen HS Culinary Arts), Jeff Barker (President,
Greater Dallas Restaurant Association), Allen HS senior Joshua Carter and
Schepps Dairy’s Chris Boyle.
Michelle Flowers (Plano East Senior High School) was
awarded the $5,000 FS Prep scholarship sponsored by
Dr. Pepper. She plans on continuing her Culinary
Education at Le Cordon Bleu.
In picture, from left: Jeff Barker (President, Greater
Dallas Restaurant Association), PESH Culinary Arts
instructor Lois Conwell, Plano East SHS senior Michelle
Flowers and Michael Kornbluth (Dr. Pepper).
Joan Haefner (Keller High School) won the $5,000 FS Prep
scholarship sponsored by US Foodservice. She plans on
continuing her culinary arts education at either Texas Tech
University or Johnson & Wales.
In photo, from left: Joe Gibson (US Foodservice), Keller HS
senior Joan Haefner and Jeff Barker (President, Greater
Dallas Restaurant Association).
Jennifer McDowell (Newman Smith High School) won the
$5,000 FS Prep scholarship sponsored by Reliant Energy.
She plans on continuing her education at Texas State
University.
In photo, clockwise from left: Linda Mayfield (Newman Smith
High School instructor), Jeff Barker (President, Greater
Dallas Restaurant Association), unknown, Sandra Treptoe
(Reliant Energy) and Newman Smith HS senior Jennifer
McDowell.
Bailey Reed (Keller High School) won the $5,000 FS Prep
scholarship sponsored by Admiral Linen. She plans on
continuing her education at Texas State University.
In photo: Jeff Barker (President, Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association), Keller HS senior Bailey Reed and Tony Manley
(Admiral Linen).
Robin Reininger (Wylie High School)
was awarded the $5,000 FS Prep
scholarship sponsored by Heartland
Payment Systems. She plans on
continuing her culinary arts education
at Johnson & Wales.
Clockwise from left: Steve DeShazo
(Wylie HS Culinary Arts), Jeff Barker
(President, Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association), Tom Bell (Heartland
Payment Systems) and scholarship winner Robin Reininger.
Madeline Sandretti (Trinity High School/HEB Technical
Education Center) won the $5,000 FS Prep scholarship
sponsored by Pepsi. She plans on continuing her culinary
arts education at Johnson & Wales.
In photo, from left: Cinnamon Thompson (Pepsi), Trinity HS
senior Madeline Sandretti and Jeff Barker (President, Greater
Dallas Restaurant Association).
Ashley Sears (Allen High School) was
awarded the $5,000 FS Prep
scholarship sponsored by Ben. E.
Keith Company. She plans on
attending Collin College.
In photo, from left: Dan Reinhard (Allen High School Culinary Arts), Pat Reynolds
(Ben E. Keith), Allen HS senior Ashley Sears, Jeff Barker (President, Greater
Dallas Restaurant Association), and Shaw Thompson (Ben E. Keith).
Justin Simpson (Billy Ryan High School/ATC) won the
$5,000 FS Prep scholarship sponsored by Brothers
Produce. He plans on continuing his culinary education
at El Centro College or the University of Houston.
In photo, in front from left: Duke McLaughlin (Brothers
Produce), Billy Ryan HS/ATC senior Justin Simpson and
Robert Sayne (Billy Ryan HS Culinary Arts). In back, Jeff
Barker (President, Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association).
Whitney Spitz (Legacy High School/Ben Barber Career
Technology Academy) won the $5,000 FS Prep
scholarship sponsored by Medical City Heart. She plans
on continuing her Culinary Arts Education at The
Culinary Institute of America.
In photo, from left: Ryan Eason (Medical City Heart), Jeff
Barker (President, Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association), Legacy HS/Ben Barber CTA senior
Whitney Spitz, Lynn Pappas and Jennifer Gause (Ben
Barber CTA).
Alberto Trueba (Billy Ryan High
School/Denton ISD Advanced
Technologies Complex) was awarded
the $5,000 FS Prep scholarship
sponsored by Hardies Fruit &
Vegetable. He plans on attending El
Centro College.
In photo, from left: Jeff Barker (President, Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association), Billy Ryan High School/Denton ISD ATC senior Alberto Trueba,
Dave Allen (Hardies Fruit & Vegetable) and Robert Sayne (Billy Ryan HS
Culinary Arts).
Esther Wu (Allen High School) was awarded the $5,000
FS Prep scholarship sponsored by Direct Energy. She
plans on continuing her education at The Culinary
Institute of America.
In picture, front: Allen HS senior Esther Wu and Direct
Energy’s Shana Santoni; back: Dan Reinhard (Allen HS
Culinary Arts) and Jeff Barker (President, Greater Dallas
Restaurant Association).