“The Future of the Industry Starts Here”
The Wisconsin Restaurant Association Education Foundation’s mission is to promote foodservice as a professional career path, attract and educate future leaders of the industry and provide affordable, quality training and education for those already working in the industry.
The WRA Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been in existence since 1987 and is one of the nation’s largest state restaurant association foundations. The Foundation serves food service operators throughout Wisconsin. It has no dues-paying members and is fully funded through donations, grants, underwriting of programs and program revenue.
WRA Education Foundation Newsletter: Special Edition
A cornerstone of careers, community and the nation’s economy, restaurants offer Americans a chance to build a career and live their dream. The WRA Education Foundation strives to educate the public about the many exciting foodservice and hospitality careers available. Click here to access resources to build your career in foodservice.
ServSafe® delivers high-quality training options for every manager. From the classroom to online, and in a variety of languages, ServSafe® is your food safety training and certification solution. And, ServSafe® offers Responsible Alcohol Training, with practical knowledge and resources that help to prepare and protect every operation, every day. Visit these pages for more information on ServSafe® Food Safety Certification and ServSafe® Responsible Alcohol Training.
The ProStart® program is a career-building program encourages high school students to consider careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. This program is designed to blend both classroom learning and work experience to produce the future leaders of tomorrow. And, students can showcase their talent in intense competition at the ProStart® Invitational held at the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo. Click here for more information on ProStart®, a program that offers a taste for success in an industry that is hungry for talent.
The WRA Education Foundation promotes foodservice education at the college and university level. To achieve this goal, the Foundation awards scholarships to college-bound individuals, based on future plans in the foodservice industry, academic records, essays on industry issues and employee and instructor recommendations. The Foundation also hosts a College Culinary Arts Competition at the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo, where current students can showcase their skills and compete to win. For more information on college programs, click here.
Each year, the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo features a great lineup of seminars taught by industry experts that deliver the latest information on trends in the marketplace, applicable business lessons, and the best practices to creating business success. Click here for more information on Foundation-sponsored educational opportunities.
The WRA Education Foundation coordinates several exciting competitions held at the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo. The American Culinary Federation (ACF) holds three competitions at the Expo: the Contemporary Competition, where individual chefs have one hour to prepare a signature dish; the Cold Food Competition, where individual chefs display their talents creating beautiful cold plate platters; and the Mystery Basket Competition, where teams of chefs create a four-course meal from a "mystery basket" of ingredients. The Education Foundation also hosts student competitions, the ProStart Invitational for high school students and the College Culinary Arts Competitions for technical college and university students.
For more information on these exciting events and/or to sign up to compete, visit the Expo Competition webpage.
The WRA Education Foundation hosts several annual events throughout the year to generate dollars for scholarships, curriculum and other foundation-sponsored programming. These events include the WRA Awards Dinner, Celebration of Excellence, WRA Annual Golf Outing, WRA Golf Classic, and many more fun, exciting and elegant affairs. Visit the WRA Calendar of Events for more information on upcoming events in which to participate or sponsor.
The Education Foundation offers many opportunities for you to support the industry and achieve goodwill exposure for your business. Whether you sponsor a fundraising event or donate directly to one of our programs, you help support the safety, integrity and future of the industry in a way that is visible to the potential customers you want to impact. If sponsorship isn’t for you, please show your support by attending one of the fun events and programs the Foundation organizes! Visit the Sponsorships & Donations page to view available opportunities. |
WRA Education Foundation
ServSafe® Food Safety Certification and Responsible Alcohol Training
ProStart® & Student Programs
Competitions
