J.P. Taravella Culinary Students Earn Top Honors, Real-World Experience at State Competition

by David Volz April 30, 2025

by David Volz April 30, 2025 2 minutes read

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J.P. Taravella Culinary Students Earn Top Honors, Real-World Experience at State Competition

Kyle Conti, Rihana Cole and Enzo Amado have all earned ServSafe certifications and can work in a professional kitchen. {David Volz]

The J.P. Taravella High School Culinary Arts program earned significant honors at the recent ProStart Culinary Competition at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.

Out of about 40 teams from around Florida, the team earned fifth place in the culinary team presentation of a three-course meal and fifth place for an edible centerpiece.

Rihana Cole, 17, a senior from Coral Springs, led the team effort to prepare the gourmet meal. The team created a meal based on a pork chop and various sauces. “I was proud of the meal we produced, and I hope to pursue a career in the restaurant industry,” she said.

The edible centerpiece was created by Kyle Conit, 18, a senior from Coral Springs. He has been part of the culinary arts program for four years and hopes to open a Polish American restaurant. “I am the sous chef in the Taravella kitchen, and I want a career in the restaurant industry,” he said.

Winning awards is nice, but the Taravella culinary students are gaining real-life professional experience. The school has a professional kitchen and operates a restaurant for faculty and staff, featuring a 40-item menu. They also cater for school events and provide gourmet meals. According to Scott Goodman, who teaches culinary arts, they can’t serve students because they are not allowed to compete with the school cafeteria.

The students can earn a ServSafe certification that qualifies them to work in a restaurant kitchen. About 30 students in the Taravella program have passed the test to earn this certification. According to Goodman, restaurants must have at least one individual with a ServSafe certification while they are in operation.

“Because many of our graduates have this certification, they have an important advantage when applying for restaurant jobs,” Goodman said.

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Author Profile

David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.