River Hill HS Places Third in State Culinary Competition

March 23rd, 2023

The Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation (RAMEF) recently announced the winners of the 2023 Maryland ProStart Student Invitational (MPSI). River Hill High School’s (RHHS’) five-member team took home third place in the Culinary portion of the competition.

RHHS’ culinary team – comprised of Omar Hijazi, Ishaan Tilva, Roman Rawls-Blodgett, Jacob Cohen, and Ben Burton – planned, cooked, and presented a winning three-course meal to a panel of judges. They were scored on proper food safety and sanitation procedures, cooking methods, food taste, teamwork, and menu difficulty.

“This event is about opening the doors to students’ creativity. They can present a three-course meal that may get into the hands of someone they weren’t even expecting,” said Olivia Aberdeen, Director of Programs and Education for the Restaurant Association of Maryland. “Our judges come from every aspect of the industry, allowing them to connect with extremely gifted students. This competition brings out a passion they probably never knew they had, confidence to come back the next year, and opportunities to build their skills at top universities or jobs,” she added.

Earlier this month, eight high schools from across the state of Maryland – including Howard and River Hill High Schools – traveled to Prince George’s Community College to compete at the annual Maryland ProStart Student Invitational. Supported by RAMEF, this is a statewide competition focused on restaurant management and culinary arts to win scholarships, top honors, and awards.