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of these trucks are part of the Morale, Welfare and Recre- and the dining area does not have to forfeit required seat-
ation (MWR) Rations-In-Kind program, so the menu is not ing capacity.
the same as a traditional galley; however, as part of the As with all good ideas and new initiatives, funding is a
galley program providing meals to eligible patrons, the concern. The concept of station dining was one of CNIC’s
menu options must include healthy choice options at each proposals in the future budget, but it was not approved for
meal. These food trucks were purchased and are operated additional funds. The concept was accepted, so if we can
by MWR, so there is a bit of flexibility in how/where they find resources within our existing budget, we can move
can be managed. forward. Our regional directors have pared down excess
We are working with the Combat Feeding Directorate, expenses, thus reducing the galley requirements over the
Natick Research, Development and Engineer Center, at the years, so it may be very difficult to reallocate funds to sup-
U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, to develop a new mobile port these new initiatives.
dining option. This new food truck will be designed for on-
board meal preparation, rather than bringing food from the Government Food Service: Another outcome of the TANG
galley. The concept has been in development for the past year was interest among culinary specialists for access to profes-
to include a varied and unique menu implementing the Go sional training that would prepare them for a civilian food
for Green concept. This project is part of the DoD acquisition service career, such as attending a culinary college or intern-
process and could be fully funded in the next two years. ing at a restaurant. Please discuss any planning in this area.
More than 10 years ago, all of the galley food trucks,
except the one at Whidbey Island, were discontinued due George: To achieve the type of training that was re-
to excess costs. At that time it was determined that it was quested at the TANG event culinary specialists will require
more cost effective to provide the sailors with a monetary overall Navy support, not just from CNIC. I believe that
food allowance, rather than operate duplicate or multiple everyone would agree that this is a great proposal and an
dining options. With the new focus on healthy dining outstanding opportunity for the culinary specialists. The
options on the installations, food trucks are once again challenge will be managing the existing manpower avail-
considered a viable option. able. There is an increasing demand for fleet support. The
We’re doing what we can with fresh-prepared food sta- rotation for sea/shore duty was never designed for the shore
tions. Unfortunately, most of the existing galleys were to be manned at 100 percent. We have not assessed the
designed as cafeterias, where the patron passes through a return on investment for vacating a required shore billet
serving line. Most of the dining facilities don’t have the for extended training.
functional capacity to provide station preparation. Many of Internally, we have provided various training opportuni-
the galleys were able to create “Let’s Get Blended” smoothie ties. At many of the CONUS galleys local chefs are willing
bars incorporating ingredients already available at the drink to provide training at the galley. Some metropolitan areas
stations and salad bars. Some locations have been able to are located near a culinary school, allowing opportunities
rearrange the dining rooms to incorporate food stations for the culinary specialists to utilize their tuition assistance
for stir-fry, wings and waffles, and pasta bars; however, due or Navy COOL dollars for formal training outside of their
to the existing electrical and other facility configurations, normal duties.
most galleys have not been able to provide this type of A year ago the Mid-Atlantic Region hired CNIC’s first cor-
fresh-cooking experience. porate chef, who is now fully engaged
The Natick Research Center has in menu development and culinary
identified a vent-less grill that we skills training at the 23 galleys within
plan to test in the next year. This the region. The region has also repur-
could be another option for provid- posed unused meeting space and has
ing made-to-order meals, provided created a demo-kitchen/training area
the electrical capacity of the facility where the chef can conduct needs-
can support the added equipment, based training. CNIC’s future goal is
to have a training chef available for
all ashore galleys.
Naval Base Kitsap, Wash., (NBK) Culinary Spe-
cialist (CS) Chief Jonathon Miller (right) displays Government Food Service: In last
optimal flank steak cutting techniques to CS2 Mac
Fernandez during the Messlords Celebrity Chefs year’s Commander’s Update responses,
visit at the Trident Inn Galley, NBK-Bangor. Tio, and you mentioned that Navy culinary spe-
fellow Messlords “Panini” Pete Plohme, and Sikey cialists are eager to participate in more
Vlahos, mentored the NBK culinary specialists on
an assortment of advanced cooking techniques, culinary competitions and expressed
which helped them prepare an array of world-class interest in opportunities to work and
dishes. Navy Entertainment sponsored the chefs’ train with professional chefs. Is there
visit. (Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Athena
Barber, USN) anything happening in this area?

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GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • MARCH 2018