NETWORKING & EVENTS
‘Bites & Beats’: Shaboozey headlines a celebration of culinary creativity
Ecolab raises more than $6,000 for ProStart at event during Restaurant Show
E colab raised more than $6,000 to help educate high school students entering the foodservice industry at Sunday Night Spotlight “Bites and Beats,” a celebration held during the annual National Restaurant Show in Chicago. Along with a 55-minute performance by rising-star “Alt-Country” singer Shaboozey, the event featured food trucks run by stu- dents from California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida. All of the students were part of ProStart, a two-year educational program support- ed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation that teaches them the culinary and management skills that will equip them to succeed in the hospitality in- dustry. The students participated in a video competition sponsored by Ecolab, and the finalists served their food from custom food trucks that Ecolab helped them build, fitting them with a wide range of the company’s products. The event drew some 600 attendees, who sampled dishes developed by the stu- dents. The winning menu items were Torak- ku, a Japanese-inspired version of chicken & waffles served by Wekiva High School in Apopka, Fla., and Toasted Temptations, a French toast dessert inspired by Bananas Foster, from Bonita High School in La Verne, Calif. Honorable mention went to another team from Wekiva High as well as students from Monroe Career & Technical Institute in Bartonsville, Pa., and Essex County West Caldwell Tech in West Caldwell, N.J. “The Sunday Night Spotlight is a testa- ment to what can be achieved when indus- try leaders come together to support the next generation,” said Ecolab Institutional Group executive vice president and presi- dent Greg Cook. “The energy and creativity of these students are truly inspiring, and Ecolab is proud to be a part of their jour- ney.” Sunday Night Spotlight has become a highlight of the National Restaurant Associ- ation Show, which ran from May 17 to 20, in Chicago, bringing together foodservice pro- fessionals from across the world.
Grammy-nominated alt-country star Shaboozey performed during the event, which raised more than $6,000 for ProStart.
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National Restaurant Association Show 2025
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