Earlier this month a team of U.S. Coast Guard chefs won seven Silver and four Bronze medals at the 42nd Annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event in Fort Lee, Virginia. The Coast Guard Culinary Specialists serve in approximately 370 units worldwide supporting the Coast Guard mission by preparing nutritious meals for crew members and serving in various collateral duties on board the unit. Participants competed against each other in this event, promoting growth in the culinary profession with special attention to the tenets of modern culinary ability, practicality, nutrition, workmanship, economy, presentation, creativity and concept.
The Coast Guard chefs assigned to the Executive Dining Facility (EDF) at DHS headquarters, joined alongside the U.S. Coast Guard’s culinary team to participate in the Army Mobile Kitchen Trailer event, producing a three-course meal for 50 people using field equipment powered by jet fuel. The Coast Guard team was comprised of culinary specialists from Station Little Creek in Virginia Beach; Coast Guard Cutter Shearwater in Portsmouth, Virginia; Cutter Obion in Owensboro, Kentucky, as well as Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Senior Chief Petty Officer James Swenson (left back to front) Master Chief Petty Officer Justin Reed, Petty Officer 2nd Class Ben Stockman, Petty Officer 3rd Class Kellie Lundy, Petty Officer 1st Class Judah Clark (right back to front), Chief Petty Officer Eddie Fuchs, Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Jeffries, Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley Jackson and Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephanie Bruce-Torres compete in the 42nd Annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event at Fort Lee, Virginia, March 4, 2017. All Coast Guard culinary specialists, the team came from units in Hampton Roads, the Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard Headquarters as well as Coast Guard Cutter Obion. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nate Littlejohn)
Attendees eagerly anticipate their meals as competitors work to prepare food at the 42nd Annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event at Fort Lee, Virginia, March 4, 2017. The Coast Guard's culinary team was comprised of culinary specialists from units in Hampton Roads, the Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard Headquarters as well as Coast Guard Cutter Obion. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nate Littlejohn)
“This is a great opportunity to showcase the talent of Coast Guard culinarians and train with master chefs from the American Culinary Federation,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Justin Reed, culinary specialist rating force master chief for the Coast Guard and team leader for the competition. “I am very proud of all the Coast Guard culinary specialists and look forward to next year when we hope to win the coveted Military Culinary Team of the Year.”
Petty Officer 2nd Class Ben Stockman (right) chats with a judge during 42nd Annual Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event at Fort Lee, Virginia, March 4, 2017. The Coast Guard's culinary team was comprised of culinary specialists from units in Hampton Roads, the Department of Homeland Security and Coast Guard Headquarters as well as Coast Guard Cutter Obion. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Nate Littlejohn)
The Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event at Fort Lee is the largest military culinary competition in the North America. Since 1973, the competition has been held each year with the exception of 1991 and 2003, during Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The competition is sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation and showcases the talents of military chefs from around the globe in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.