Patriot Garden DFAC team recognized for culinary excellence

Photo By Sgt. Danielle Rodrigues | The commander of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John O’Connor, along with other leaders, awards a trophy to the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command’s Patriot Garden dining facility team at a Dec. 18 ceremony on Panzer Kaserne. The Patriot Garden team was recognized for their excellence as “Best Dining Facility” and “Best Ice Sculpture” at last year’s Thanksgiving Day celebration in the dining facility.  

KAISERSLAUTERN, RP, GERMANY

01.14.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. John Zumer 

10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - The Rhine Ordnance Barracks dining facility, also known as the Patriot Garden, was recognized at a Dec. 18 ceremony on Panzer Kaserne as part of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command Commanding General’s Thanksgiving Day celebration.

The award stems from an annual culinary competition for units in the 21st TSC region. The competition is judged by a panel of hand-selected judges from the 21st TSC. The 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Soldiers working at the Patriot Garden began planning for the contest in October, and their efforts led them to win Best Dining Facility and Best Ice Sculpture.

As food service specialists, these Soldiers not only juggled the daily demand of feeding the many Soldiers assigned here, but also created a special Thanksgiving meal to win these awards.

To attract the attention of the judges, the Soldiers decorated the dining hall in two different themes. One side included the traditional Thanksgiving set up with the harvest cornucopia and the other side as a winter wonderland featuring the award-winning ice sculptures.

Ice sculpting was a new experience for many of the cooks and enabled them to learn another trade in the culinary world.

“Everything you do in the food industry is with passion,” said Sgt. Dennis Walusimbi, the head noncommissioned officer in charge of ice sculpting for the event. “If you have the liveliness in you, there are endless possibilities in this field.”

In preparation for the competition and to help divide the workload, the staff was placed into three teams. One team of Soldiers worked on decorating the facility while others came in at night to prepare the food for the expected 500 Soldiers. A vast majority worked wherever they were needed that day.

The days leading up to the competition were somewhat stressful, Walusimbi said. However, in an effort to relieve some of that stress, the Soldiers were allowed – after hours – to cook in civilian clothes and listen to music.

“We wanted to build camaraderie amongst our staff,” said Sgt. 1st Class Janelle M. Richards, the dining facility noncommissioned officer in charge. “We would turn on the music and we would laugh and cook like we were back home in the kitchen.”

While many Soldiers may not have any family here or were unable to go home for the holidays, the Patriot Garden team offered the community a much needed Thanksgiving feast.

“What makes it worthwhile is seeing the diners enjoy the food and come back and forth for seconds,” said Richards.

• Date Taken: 01.14.2015
• Date Posted: 01.14.2015 07:55
• Story ID: 151956
• Location: KAISERSLAUTERN, RP, DE