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CULINARY TRAINING

Training to Improve Food Service

Fort Lee Exercise’s Ripple Effect Reaches Back to Bases
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Flemister, enlisted
here were 450 entrants participating in individual and team aide for Maj. Gen. John B. Morrison Jr.,
T activities at the annual Joint Culinary Training Exercise at commanding general, U.S. Army Cyber
Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon,
Fort Lee, Va., with judges selecting winners and presenting Ga., whisks together a marinade for part
medals in recognition of skill and performance, but it is wrong of his three-course meal during the cook-
ing portion of the Enlisted Aide of the
to consider this simply a competition. Year competition. Flemister earned first
Entrants spent a week from March 9 to 15 demonstrating place and will represent the Army at the
culinary expertise under pressure and the scrutiny of judges Joint Services Enlisted Aide Competition
later this year. (Photo by Amy Perry, Fort
not just to come away with a medal, but also to learn, improve Lee Public Affairs)
and share their experience with colleagues to raise food service
performance throughout the military.
“I applaud your competition, you are
Sgt. Samantha Poe, culinary arts specialist, trained, highly qualified professionals in our
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., won operational forces,” said Lt. Gen. Aundre F.
Best Contemporary Pastry category at the
43rd Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE), Piggee, Headquarters Department of the Army,
Fort Lee, Va. Presenting the award are Brig. deputy chief of staff, G4, Pentagon, Washington,
Gen. Rodney Fogg, U.S. Army quartermas- D.C., at the opening of the awards ceremony.
ter general; American Culinary Federation
President Stafford Decambre; and Com- “You all are winners by just participating, you
mand Sgt. Maj. Sean Rice, quartermaster now are better as individuals and will take back
command sergeant major. (Photo by Amy your knowledge and make your organizations
Perry, Fort Lee Public Affairs)
better.”
Team Hawaii for the fourth year in a row
was recognized as the Culinary Team of the Year and 332 American Culinary Federation (ACF) medals were awarded to
more than 200 military chefs at the 43rd annual Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE) awards ceremony on March 16.
“This week was about getting better, not only self but our units, the Army and all the organizations represented,”
said Brig. Gen. Rodney D. Fogg, Quartermaster
General and commandant, The Quartermaster Micheal Matarazza, a judge, and Staff
School. “The 13 ACF judges were here to help Sgt. Sarah Deckert-Perry, an associate
judge, examine ingredients during the
you get better, to transfer their knowledge.” 43rd annual Joint Culinary Training Event
JCTE started March 9 with the Armed Forces at Fort Lee, Va. (Photo by Sgt. Jennifer
Chef of the Year event and continued until March Shick, 214th Mobile Public Affairs De-
tachment)
15, culminating with the International Two-Chef
Culinary Challenge. The exercise, administered
by the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, is the largest ACF-sanctioned com-
petition in North America. All the judging is done by ACF-certified judges who
volunteer their time over eight days to provide feedback and critique the par-
ticipants. This year’s exercise showcased the talent of 232 military chefs from
all military services around the globe to include
four international teams.
ACF President and lead judge, Stafford De- Staff Sgt. Jerald Bonkowski, culinary arts
specialist, Team Hawaii, places the finish-
cambre, was on hand to assist in handing out ing touches on a dish during the 43rd
the medals and awards. annual Joint Culinary Training Event at
“This is a huge competition that you were a Fort Lee, Va. (Photo by Jennifer Shick,
214th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
part of, the quality (of the entries) was extraordi-

Team Hawaii was recognized as the Culinary Team of the Year
at the 43rd annual Joint Culinary Training Exercise (JCTE), Fort
Lee, Va. This is the fourth-year-in-a-row win for the team. To be
the team of the year, they were required to enter seven separate
categories. Presenting the award are Brig. Gen. Rodney Fogg,
U.S. Army quartermaster general; American Culinary Federation
President Stafford Decambre; and Command Sgt. Maj. Sean Rice,
quartermaster command sergeant major. The exercise, adminis-
tered by the Joint Culinary Center of Excellence, is the largest
ACF-sanctioned competition in North America. (Photo by Dani
Johnson, Combined Arms Support Command Public Affairs)
8 GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • MAY 2018