Central Community College Pro Start Partnership

At the heart of the program is Courtney Rempe, the Kitchen and Catering Manager, who plays a key role in preparing students for careers in the culinary and hospitality industries. CCC’s Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts program offers students a well-rounded education in both the hospitality and culinary sectors. Students not only learn how to cook but also gain experience in event planning, restaurant management, and leadership. One of the most impactful aspects of the program is the catering events run by students. 

 “We get to act as if we’re a business,” says Rempe, who supervises the events. Students gain real-world experience while managing these events, and the profits go toward a yearly culinary trip to food-centric destinations like Las Vegas and Chicago. 

 A highlight of the culinary program is its involvement in the Nebraska ProStart Competition, a high school cooking contest that attracts students from across the state that is also sponsored by the Nebraska Beef Council. CCC has hosted the state competition multiple times, where high school teams compete to create impressive dishes in a limited amount of time. 

 “ProStart is a great opportunity for students to showcase their skills and compete at a high level,” Rempe explains. Rempe also highlights the Best of Beef award, which goes to the team that demonstrates the best use of beef in their dishes. Many ProStart participants go on to pursue culinary studies at CCC. 

 “We’ve had students who competed in ProStart come here to continue their education, which is always exciting,” says Rempe. 

 CCC’s culinary program has also partnered with the Nebraska Beef Council in other events like the “Beef Masters Challenge” held at the state fair, and through workshops with Family Consumer Science instructors that focused on cooking beef. Through its culinary program and events like ProStart, CCC continues to educate future culinary professionals while contributing to Nebraska’s food industry.