Photo By Rachel Larue | Sgt. Sarah Deckert, U.S. Army Garrison, prepares food during a filming of "Flip My...... read more read more
JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - What does Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Sgt. Sarah Deckert have in common with TV chefs Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray and Gordon Ramsay?
She recently spent time cooking with another TV chef, Jeff Henderson, for an episode of his show, "Flip My Food."
Deckert, who was named Armed Forces Chef of the Year last March, filmed the segment Oct. 7 at the culinary training center in Fort Lee, Va. She served as an enlisted aide to and cooked for Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, the U.S. Army Surgeon General. She currently is attached to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Headquarters Command Battalion on the joint base.
“Chef Jeff’s energy is contagious and he creates an environment on his show that is both educational and fun,” she said. “I love that he provides viewers with tips and tricks on how to introduce healthier options into everyday cooking.”
Chef Jeff said he and his show are very connected and committed to the nation’s armed services.
“We cook on many military bases around the country,” he said. “We said we wanted to come here and do something not only to showcase amazing food that might be a little healthier, but to showcase the military. We want to show the folks out there that military folks can burn in the kitchen, too.”
Deckert said it’s always a pleasure to cook with other chefs who are also passionate about health and fresh, delicious food.
The pair made several lamb dishes using fresh and seasonal vegetables.
“For me the focus is always fresh ingredients and trying to stay away from processed foods,” she said.
She said she also appreciated that Chef Jeff didn’t skimp on flavor because that helps people realize that healthy food can be flavorful and delicious.
“I do not like the stigma that healthy food has to taste like cardboard or have no flavor, so I like to change people’s minds,” she said. “When I cook for myself and friends, I like to focus on fresh proteins, vegetables and some grains.”
Deckert said amazingly tasty food can be created by using fresh herbs, spices, vinegars and healthy oils to enhance fresh ingredients.
“It’s also a challenge, but like I said, I love to change people’s minds and surprise them with dishes that they would never normally eat, but love when they taste it,” she said.
Deckert, 30, was already a classically-trained chef before she enlisted in the Army in 2010 and said she always loved cooking as a child.
“I always wanted to be in the kitchen making a mess out of something,” she said.
In high school, she participated in a two-year program called ProStart which solidified her decision to pursue a career in food service.
“Realizing that I could cook and further my career in food service management almost seemed surreal,” she said. “How could something so enjoyable turn into a career?”
Deckert attended Johnson and Wales University in Denver, Col., where she earned an associates in culinary arts and a bachelor’s in food service management. She is currently working on her master’s in nutrition.
An airtime for Deckert’s Flip My Food episode has not yet been scheduled. To learn more about the show and to see where you can watch it, visit www.flipmyfood.com.
| Date Taken: | 10.16.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.16.2014 14:01 |
| Story ID: | 145235 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, US |
| Hometown: | ALEXANDRIA, VA, US |
| Hometown: | BEAVERTON, OR, US |
| Hometown: | DENVER, CO, US |
| Hometown: | GRAND JUNCTION, CO, US |
| Web Views: | 93 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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