New Jersey Restaurant Educational Foundation
The New Jersey Restaurant Educational Foundation (NJREF) exists to enhance the restaurant industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities. The NJREF works to attract, develop and retain a career-oriented professional workforce for the restaurant industry.
The NJREF is the philanthropic foundation of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association. It impacts the prosperity of the restaurant industry by developing a stronger workforce and building the next generation of industry leaders. The Foundation’s educational initiatives provide culinary, management, food safety and employability skills training to build a pipeline of talent for the growing industry.
The Foundation’s cornerstone program, ProStart, is a two-year, nationwide program that develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders. ProStart serves more than 118,000 students at over 1,700 high schools in all 50 states, the Territory of Guam and at Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Europe and Asia. ProStart trains students academically in the classroom and experientially on the job.
The NJREF awards scholarships each year to students pursuing careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry to help them realize their passions. Additionally, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) awards scholarships to students and educators to provide continued industry education. Since 1997, the NRAEF has awarded more than $18 million in scholarships.
The NJREF is the philanthropic foundation of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association. It impacts the prosperity of the restaurant industry by developing a stronger workforce and building the next generation of industry leaders. The Foundation’s educational initiatives provide culinary, management, food safety and employability skills training to build a pipeline of talent for the growing industry.
The Foundation’s cornerstone program, ProStart, is a two-year, nationwide program that develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders. ProStart serves more than 118,000 students at over 1,700 high schools in all 50 states, the Territory of Guam and at Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Europe and Asia. ProStart trains students academically in the classroom and experientially on the job.
The NJREF awards scholarships each year to students pursuing careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry to help them realize their passions. Additionally, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) awards scholarships to students and educators to provide continued industry education. Since 1997, the NRAEF has awarded more than $18 million in scholarships.
ProStart Program
The New Jersey Restaurant Educational Foundation has teamed up with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation to bring the restaurant industry into the classroom. ProStart is a nationally recognized two-year program for high school students that educates and develops those students into future leaders of the restaurant and hospitality industry. This comprehensive program not only teaches students culinary techniques, but it also teaches students important management skills. The program is designed to prepare students for the industry. By bringing real world experience to the classroom, the students are often hired by culinary leaders fresh out of high school. This curriculum is also recognized by the industry and secondary educational institutions across the country. Many ProStart students are also ServSafe Food Manager-certified upon graduation. The ProStart Program is a Department of Education-approved program. Upon completion of the program, students who pass both ProStart exams receive ProStart certificates and are ready to enter the workforce as professionals in the industry.
Invitational
Each year, the New Jersey Restaurant Educational Foundation brings the ProStart program alive with a state-wide culinary and management competition. The competition gives students real-world experience and tests their skills and knowledge in not only the culinary arts, but also in restaurant management. Additionally, the NJREF teams up each year with colleges and universities throughout the Northeast to award over $1 million in scholarships to the first, second, and third place teams! The First Place teams will move on to the National Competition and represent the state of New Jersey! They will compete for scholarships and more importantly—bragging rights!
Certificate of Achievement
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) offers the National Certificate of Achievement to ProStart students who have work experience in the industry. The National Certificate of Achievement helps students gain acceptance into colleges. It allows them a lead in scholarship opportunities, employment, and other benefits like waiver of course fees. For more information concerning the Certificate of Achievement, or to download a list of all of the participating colleges, check out the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s website.
Scholarships
ProStart students have access to other scholarship opportunities through the New Jersey Restaurant Educational Foundation. Read more about our scholarships for further details.
Access to a Great Network
ProStart schools are directly in contact with the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association. This allows schools access to great opportunities and benefits that will help students build their futures.
The ProStart program requires the Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts curriculum. This curriculum is a set of two books and workbooks: level 1 and level 2. This curriculum is a set of two textbooks books, workbooks and 2 final exams: level 1 and level 2. The textbooks can be purchased in both traditional and eBook form. Students and teachers also have access to the NRAEF ProStart Portal where they can access their exam scores and apply for a Certificate of Achievement. The first year book begins with a history lesson and overview of the foodservice industry. “Keeping Food Safe,” “Stocks, Sauces, and Soups,” and “Management Essentials” are some of the chapters covered in the first year book. Level two begins with nutrition and controlling food costs. Level one tackles basics in the restaurant industry while level two goes more ineptly of how to manage a restaurant. See if it’s a good fit for your school! Contact us to request a copy of the Foundations books for your review! For more information about the ProStart Program, or if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for our ProStart Program, please contact Leslie Steele at LeslieS@njrha.org or (609) 599-3316.
The NJREF is a non-profit 501c3 — all donations are tax deductible.
The New Jersey Restaurant Educational Foundation has teamed up with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation to bring the restaurant industry into the classroom. ProStart is a nationally recognized two-year program for high school students that educates and develops those students into future leaders of the restaurant and hospitality industry. This comprehensive program not only teaches students culinary techniques, but it also teaches students important management skills. The program is designed to prepare students for the industry. By bringing real world experience to the classroom, the students are often hired by culinary leaders fresh out of high school. This curriculum is also recognized by the industry and secondary educational institutions across the country. Many ProStart students are also ServSafe Food Manager-certified upon graduation. The ProStart Program is a Department of Education-approved program. Upon completion of the program, students who pass both ProStart exams receive ProStart certificates and are ready to enter the workforce as professionals in the industry.
Invitational
Each year, the New Jersey Restaurant Educational Foundation brings the ProStart program alive with a state-wide culinary and management competition. The competition gives students real-world experience and tests their skills and knowledge in not only the culinary arts, but also in restaurant management. Additionally, the NJREF teams up each year with colleges and universities throughout the Northeast to award over $1 million in scholarships to the first, second, and third place teams! The First Place teams will move on to the National Competition and represent the state of New Jersey! They will compete for scholarships and more importantly—bragging rights!
Certificate of Achievement
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) offers the National Certificate of Achievement to ProStart students who have work experience in the industry. The National Certificate of Achievement helps students gain acceptance into colleges. It allows them a lead in scholarship opportunities, employment, and other benefits like waiver of course fees. For more information concerning the Certificate of Achievement, or to download a list of all of the participating colleges, check out the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s website.
Scholarships
ProStart students have access to other scholarship opportunities through the New Jersey Restaurant Educational Foundation. Read more about our scholarships for further details.
Access to a Great Network
ProStart schools are directly in contact with the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association. This allows schools access to great opportunities and benefits that will help students build their futures.
- Access to restaurateurs and guest speakers for the classroom.
- New Jersey ProStart Representative visitations to help students and teachers with everything ProStart, the NJRHA, and the workforce.
- School has catering and workforce development opportunities for NJRHA Events.
- Free student and teacher access to the NJREF Annual Culinary Student Day Event.
- Eligible to participate in the New Jersey Annual State ProStart Competition.
- Teachers are nominated annually for the NRAEF Educator Excellence Award and invited to attend the Annual Educator of Excellence Celebration hosted by the National Restaurant Association.
- Students have access to scholarship opportunities from the National and State Restaurant Educational Foundations.
The ProStart program requires the Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts curriculum. This curriculum is a set of two books and workbooks: level 1 and level 2. This curriculum is a set of two textbooks books, workbooks and 2 final exams: level 1 and level 2. The textbooks can be purchased in both traditional and eBook form. Students and teachers also have access to the NRAEF ProStart Portal where they can access their exam scores and apply for a Certificate of Achievement. The first year book begins with a history lesson and overview of the foodservice industry. “Keeping Food Safe,” “Stocks, Sauces, and Soups,” and “Management Essentials” are some of the chapters covered in the first year book. Level two begins with nutrition and controlling food costs. Level one tackles basics in the restaurant industry while level two goes more ineptly of how to manage a restaurant. See if it’s a good fit for your school! Contact us to request a copy of the Foundations books for your review! For more information about the ProStart Program, or if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for our ProStart Program, please contact Leslie Steele at LeslieS@njrha.org or (609) 599-3316.
The NJREF is a non-profit 501c3 — all donations are tax deductible.
