Educator Credentials

The ProStart Educator Certificate recognizes active engagement and dedication to promoting the ProStart program and Foundations of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts curriculum through continuing education, professional development, and industry involvement.

The ProStart Educator Certificate is now available!

Please download and complete the application below: ProStart Educator Certificate Application

Supporting documentation is required to complete the application. Please be sure to include proof of:

• A copy of your exam certificate to confirm successful completion of the ProStart Professional Development program.
• A copy/photo of your unofficial transcript, degree, or teacher certification from an accredited institution or teacher certification organization.
• Document industry hours to include dates of attendance, number of hours, location of event (if applicable) and the name of the host organization.

Please allow 2–4 weeks for your application to be processed.

Questions? Please contact us at ProStart@nraef.org

Certified Foodservice Educator (CSFE)

New applications for the Certified Secondary Foodservice Educator will be accepted through December 31, 2023, and the program will sunset in 2028. Current and renewal applications received through December 31, 2023 will remain valid for the existing 5-year term.

The final offering of Summer Institutes was held in 2022. If educators have not yet completed the required three levels to apply for the CSFE credential, they may attend the new training and receive the ProStart Educator Certificate.

The ProStart Educator certificate is completely independent of the previous Certified Foodservice Educator credential. Educators looking to earn the ProStart Educator Certificate must complete the core content component of the new program to be eligible for the new certificate.

ProStart Educator Certificate

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is launching the new ProStart Professional Development program for ProStart educators nationwide. With a focus on the ProStart classroom experience, ProStart Professional Development provides educators with dynamic training to enhance their impact in the classroom through engaging lectures, interactive demos and hands-on labs, and opportunities to network with nationally-recognized instructors, colleagues, and peers.

In recognition for participation in the program as well as a continued dedication to the education and development of the future leaders of the industry, educators who successfully complete the ProStart Professional Development Program are eligible to apply for the ProStart Educator Certificate. With the sunsetting of Summer Institutes and the Certified Secondary Foodservice Educator certificate, the ProStart Educator Certificate recognizes ProStart educators who have fulfilled the requirements below:

• Successful completion of the ProStart Professional Development program. Participants may submit their exam certificate with their application.
• Associates or Bachelors degree or current teaching certificate from an accredited institution or recognized teacher education institution
• 100 hours of work/industry experience, continued education, additional certification, or other industry engagement outside the classroom within the last five years. For questions on what counts, please contact ProStart@nraef.org.

The ProStart Educator Certificate is valid for five years. Educators will have the opportunity to supplement this training with additional electives, tracks, and spotlights offered at future ProStart Professional Development sessions that may be applied to renewal every five years.

Certificate renewal requires an additional 75 hours of industry experience outside of the classroom within the last five years. This may include additional ProStart Professional Development participation, external continuing education and/or certification, or other industry engagement to be approved by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Career and Technical Education team.