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MILITARY CULINARY AWARDS WRAP-UP

Rewards and a Challenge

Culinary Award Winners Honored and Tested in Weekend Training Program

ilitary culinary specialists who earned recognition during
Mthe National Restaurant Association Educational Foun-
dation’s annual food service awards dinner in Chicago quickly
found themselves back to work at proving their performance
during a three-day training program.
Winners of the 2018 military food service awards representing
each branch of the armed forces were selected during multi-
level competitions over the months leading up to the trophy
presentations at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, Ill., on May 18.
Teams of judges made up of senior military personnel and
representatives of the National Restaurant Association, each
with culinary expertise, travel worldwide to evaluate the par-
ticipants and select the award-winning teams.
The awards recognize a commitment to food service excel- A decade later, the Army in- Culinary specialists attending a
lence across the entire range of military food service opera- troduced the Connelly program seminar as part of a three-day
training program during which
tions, including a commitment to excellence in management in 1968. Now, 50 years later, it re- they apply what is learned to
effectiveness, force readiness support, food quality, employee mains a steady force in recognizing design a dining facility.
and customer relations, resource conservation, training and excellence in Army food service,
safety awareness. motivating a higher standard of culinary performance and
Army garrison and field culinary teams, for example, are professionalism, and a making commitment to quality.
evaluated against a checklist of 10 categories, each containing Marine Corps culinary specialists have competed for the Hill
a set of criteria and point-value scale. Each team’s final overall award since it was introduced in 1985. Competing for the Hill
score is determined by adding the points it earned in each of encouraging a commitment to excellence and motivates Marine
the 10 category ratings. The maximum score a team can earn Corps food service teams to prepare the highest-quality food.
from each judge is 1,000 points. Civilian mariners on food service teams aboard Military
During the awards dinner, each service branch presented Sealift Command (MSC) ships have competed for a culinary
awards to recognize its winning military culinary teams, in- award since it was established in 1992. The award was named
cluding: the Army (Philip A. Connelly Awards), Air Force (John to honor Cook in 2002, 10 years after it was established. He
L. Hennessy Award), Air National Guard (Senior Master Sgt. was a director of logistics from 1995 to 1998, and is consid-
Kenneth W. Disney Award), Marine Corps (Major Gen. Wil- ered a catalyst in improving all aspects of food service aboard
liam Pendleton Thompson Hill Memorial Awards), Navy (Capt. MSC ships.
Edward F. Ney Awards), Coast Guard (Forest O. Rednour Me- Coast Guard culinary excellence began being recognized in
moriam Program for Excellence in Food Service) and Military 1995, but the program was not named for Rednour until 2008.
Sealift Command (Capt. David M. Cook Awards). He was a ship’s cook second class who received the Navy and
This year, the Coast Guard joined the other service branches Marine Corps medal for heroic action in 1943 and later died
at the awards dinner, making it a comprehensive gathering. in the line of duty.
“For more than 60 years, the restaurant industry has hon- The Air National Guard founded the Disney award in 2000
ored the men and women of the U.S. military for outstanding with the goal of promoting excellence in guest service and meal
food service at bases and installations throughout the world,” quality, as well as to inspire high morale, motivation, mission
said Rob Gifford, executive vice president of the NRAEF. “The support and a professional image through pride and spirited
NRAEF is dedicated to helping the military maintain food- competition. Five years later, the Air Force Reserve began select-
service excellence across all branches, including the SeaLift ing its culinary award winner within the Hennessy program.
Command, and providing guidance for veterans transitioning
to restaurant jobs and careers.” TRAINING
Military culinary awards were begun by the Air Force, which In addition to the awards ceremony, the honorees participate
established the Hennessy program in 1956 to raise the quality in a three-day food service training program at Kendall Col-
of Air Force food service by promoting excellence in customer lege and attend industry sessions hosted at the show. Winners
service and support to airmen. of these prestigious awards are chosen by representatives from
Two years later, in 1958, the Navy introduced the Ney the National Restaurant Association, NRAEF and the Society
award with the goal of motivating its culinary specialists to for Foodservice and Hospitality Management, who travel with
demonstrate a commitment to performing their food service senior military officers to installations around the globe on a
responsibilities and achieving operational excellence. yearly basis to evaluate food service operations. —Continued
8 GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • JULY 2018