The Ninth Annual ProStart Culinary Competition was held on February 8, 2009, in Orlando, Florida. Forty schools from across the state attended the competition. The following schools from Hillsborough County won medals and scholarships:

• Gourmet Meal, 2nd Place: Leto High School students – Lisa Davis, Kassandra Gutierrez, Edward Newkirk, and Ashley Torres
  This competition requires preparing a gourmet meal (appetizer, entrée, and dessert) within one hour. All students in the 2nd Place Gourmet Meal competition have the opportunity to access the following scholarships if they choose to attend one of these postsecondary institutions:
  • $5000 Keiser University
  • $2500 Art Institute
  • $1500 Culinary Institute of America
  • $3000 Johnson and Wales University
  • $3000 Florida Culinary Institute
  • 2/3 Tuition Daytona Beach College
• Gourmet Meal, 4th Place: King High School students – Tarshanna Blanks, Ashleigh Bruce, Jeffrey Chin, and Michael Grandchamp
• Edible Centerpiece, 4th Place: Wharton High School student - Shelby Mireles; 8th Place: King High School student – Whitney McKinnon
  This is a contest that requires the creation of a centerpiece using only fruits and vegetables.
• Managers Competition, 4th Place: Bowers/Whitley Career Center students - Brittany Anderson, Darian Lee, Taylor McGovern, and David Tenney, III
  This competition follows a knowledge bowl format with questions and answers on management.
• Managers Competition, Leto High School students - Stephen Culver, Bernandette Negron, Yanelis Perez, and Lisette Stanton
  These students did not place in the competition, however, their scores contributed to Leto High School receiving the ProStart "Overall" Competition, 2nd Place honor.