Page 60 - gfs0517_Magazine

CULINARY TRAINING

to motivate the culinary
soldiers at the dining fa-
cility to a high level of
excellence and eventually
represent the Army team
at the annual MCACTE at
Fort Lee.
Alves is a certified ex-
ecutive chef and senior
food service culinary Joint Team Hawaii was named the 2017 Culinary Arts
Competitive Training Event Culinary Team of the Year.
management non-com-
missioned officer for the Logistics Readiness Center Hawaii GLS), led the Navy Culinary Arts Team into the training
Culinary Arts Lab at Schofield Barracks. event at Fort Lee.
“When we judge events like that … we know these “This competitive training event is designed to improve
soldiers are not certified,” Alves said. “They’re not at that the armed forces culinary skills and, thus, the readiness of
competition level like myself and my soldiers.” each force, in an environment that is passionately com-
Alves is a former “Cacti” soldier once assigned to 2nd petitive yet nurturing and educational,” said Lawrence.
Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd BCT, who worked Navy culinary specialists competed in such categories
at the Bronco Café in 2005, and was delighted to share his as Armed Forces Chef of the Year, Nutrition Hot Food
experience with the younger generation of culinary chefs. Challenge, Team Table and Cold Food Display, and Con-
“What we’re looking for is creativity, taste, presentation temporary Patisserie.
… and make sure they’re using the proper components as NCAT is made up of a professional team, a student
far as ingredients, if they blend well,” he said. “Certain team and individual competitors. This year, the Navy was
ingredients have to mesh. If you use seafood, there’s certain represented by 16 CSs within the ranks of E-3 to E-6.
herbs and produce that goes with that dish. If you’re using NAVSUP GLS provides global logistics for a global Navy.
chicken, there are certain things we look for.” The organization is made up of approximately 6,300 mili-
In Bronco Café’s quarterly competition, winners of the tary and civilian logistics professionals operating from
Chef of the Board from the 1st quarter led two five-member 105 locations worldwide, providing an extensive array
teams, Gold and Black. Each team is issued 200 servings of integrated global logistics and contracting services to
to prepare three entrées. The team leader has one plate Navy, Marine Corps, joint operational units, and allied
of each item for the display table and three plates for the forces across all warfare enterprises.
guest judges, for a total of four plates.
Incoming diners judged the participants on their entrées ARMY
by receiving a scorecard upon entry to the dining facility. For the U.S. Army Korea Culinary Arts team, a three-
The diners that entered the dining facility received a half course meal served at the Camp Walker Mountain Inn in
portion of each team’s entrées. Daegu to the Area IV community on January 12 was a tune
“The competitors will be judged on the following cat- up to prepare for the 42nd Annual MCACTE.
egories: practicality, nutrition, workmanship, economy, Staff Sgt. promotable Evelyn Esposito, the Korea Culi-
presentation, creativity and concept,” Akins said. nary Arts Team manager, oversaw her team meet one of
After the votes had been tallied, along with Alves’ heavy the standards for the competition at Fort Lee by serving 50
vote, it was Black Team, led by Sgt. Jerald Bonkowski, as- meals prepared from start to finish in less than six hours.
signed to Co. E, 29th Brigade Support Bn., 3rd BCT, which “We started at seven and we have to have 50 complete
won the day. meals put out by 1300, a three-course meal,” said Esposito.
The three-entrée meal that Black Team had created was “All this was cooked off of that trailer, not in the kitchen,
Caribbean style rack of lamb, island style red snapper with that is why you see the soldiers running back and forth.
a pineapple salsa and a Jamaican jerk chicken. The MKT is parked in the back.”
“Today, it was mostly just teamwork,” Bonkowski said. The MKT Esposito referred to is a Mobile Kitchen Trailer,
“Every time our team came up with an idea, everybody which is used to cook hot meals for soldiers in the field
jumped on board real quick, and there was no arguing. and other austere environments.
We just kept rolling with it and didn’t stop what we’re On the three-course menu prepared and served by the
doing. It was a good day.” team were a choux of shrimp, seared beef tenderloin and
tiramisu.
NAVY “For the first event it went pretty well,” said James T.
Navy culinary specialists from around the fleet went Mann, food program manager, 403rd Army Field Support
into the MCACTE primed and ready after completing an Brigade, Logistics Readiness Center Daegu.
intense training program from January 17 to March 1. Soldiers on the Korea Culinary Arts team are selected
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Alicia Lawrence, of Naval Sup- through a competition to assemble a lineup that comprises
ply Systems Command Global Logistics Support (NAVSUP best food service specialists to represent the peninsula in
60 GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • MAY 2017