Colleagues,
We are excited to share some special news as Culinary Arts students from Nashoba Valley Tech have won the opportunity to compete in the upcoming National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore, Maryland!!
MAVA extends its congratulations to the students and staff and extends best wishes in the national competition.
David
Nashoba Tech culinary team repeats first-place finish
Qualifies for national competition
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The winning Nashoba Tech culinary arts team at the Massachusetts ProStart Competition includes, front, from left, Jillian Cambridge (Ayer), Samantha Richards (Chelmsford), Alexis Linstad (Chelmsford) and Chef-Instructor Carley Capraro; and back row, Chef-Instructor Paul Wilson, Tyler Zerbinopoulos (Chelmsford) and Colby Hebert (Ayer). (COURTESY NASHOBA TECH)
PUBLISHED: March 20, 2026
WESTFORD — Their victory last year wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
Students and staff in the Culinary Arts program at Nashoba Valley Technical High School won first place for the second straight year at the Massachusetts ProStart Competition, held March 10 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
At the ProStart Competition, sponsored by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, students from competing schools have one hour to complete a three-course meal using only two burners and no other electronic equipment.
The Nashoba Tech students — the same five that competed and won last year — created the menu and determined the costing and plate design, with help from Chef-Instructor Carley Capraro and Chef-Instructor Paul Wilson.
Students on Nashoba Tech’s winning team are Jillian Cambridge (junior, Ayer), Colby Hebert (senior, Ayer), Alexis Linstad (senior, Chelmsford), Samantha Richards (senior, Chelmsford) and Tyler Zerbinopoulos (senior, Chelmsford).
With the first-place finish, the team will now move on to the National ProStart Student Invitational competition, April 24-26 in Baltimore. Last year, they placed 14th nationally. The national event is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association.
At ProStart, students teams must develop a proposal and marketing plan for a new restaurant concept, then develop a menu that fits the concept. They have 60 minutes to cook an appetizer, entree and dessert. Students also must provide recipes, cost and menu pricing.
Judges are industry professionals who volunteer their time and expertise. “The students take this seriously as major scholarships can be and have been awarded for winning first place,” Capraro said. “They have been practicing two times a week for three months to get timing down to the second, and clearly it has paid off. Now, moving on, they will practice even more.”
Upon completion of the event, colleges and universities from around the country are on hand to offer scholarships to the top teams in the competition. For example, The Culinary Institute of America offers up to $90,000 to students. Winning teams have the opportunity to compete nationally at the National ProStart Student Invitational, which is hosted by the NRAEF.
Nashoba Tech’s menu consisted of:
• An appetizer of butter-poached native lobster cake paired with bacon-laced corn cream, and shaved apple-fennel salad dressed in a light honey vinaigrette and watercress.
• For the entree, uniquely seasoned and pan-seared venison tenderloin served with roasted rainbow carrots, local mushrooms, fondant potato, and a maple-shallot veal stock reduction.
• And for dessert, fluffy lemon chiffon cake resting upon a blueberry compote and lemon gelee, crowned with a vanilla chantilly, blueberry mousse, and a blueberry-dusted tuile cookie.
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The dessert, lemon chiffon cake. (COURTESY NASHOBA TECH)
The appetizer, butter-poached native lobster cake with bacon-laced corn cream. (COURTESY NASHOBA TECH)The entree, pan-seared venison tenderloin. (COURTESY NASHOBA TECH)
Nashoba Tech culinary team repeats first-place finish
Chapter 74 Vocational Technical & Agricultural Education
LEARNING THAT WORKS FOR MASSACHUSETTS
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira