Cooking pays for college

Tyler Wolk had barely touched a stove before he signed up for Newport Harbor High School’s cooking class this year. The senior opted to give it a try, though — and he had a feeling he was a natural when the teacher chose him for the school’s culinary team.

On Sunday, Tyler and his teammates made history. The Newport Harbor squad took second place in the National ProStart Student Invitational, a nationwide high school competition held in North Carolina. The group’s second-place finish made it the highest-ranking California team ever in the contest.

“For me, it’s a way that I can pay for college,� said Tyler, 17, who won a $3,500 scholarship from the National Restaurant Assn. and the Coca-Cola Co. “There’s not many people who can do meals like this.�

At Newport Harbor, there are at least four of them — Tyler, junior Alex Gonzalez and seniors Steven Smeets and Cody McDonald. The team spent the last few months rehearsing a three-course meal of shrimp salad, lamb loin and fried cream puffs and prepared it for the judges in North Carolina on Saturday. During the competition, culinary teams had to make do with two butane burners — and without electricity, an oven and running water.

Newport Harbor ended up finishing second to Battle Mountain High School from Colorado, but it was still a historic showing for the Golden State.

Until the winners were announced Sunday evening, no California team had finished higher than fourth in the ProStart competition — and that record was set by Newport Harbor last year.

“They did an awesome job,� said teacher Janet Dukes. “The competition has gotten a lot more stiff.�

In addition to the students reaping scholarships, the school’s culinary program won $700 for the second-place finish, as well as a knife kit and a cookbook autographed by world-famous chef Noble Masi.

A number of colleges and universities who attended the event also offered scholarships. Thirty-four total teams entered the competition, which is now in its sixth year.

“The team did a wonderful job,� said Megan Meyer, the marketing and communications manager for ProStart. “Everyone was so proud of them.�