Cookin’ up some competition

Photo By 1st Sgt. Jessica Barnett | Staff Sgt. Frederick Carter, kitchen monitor, 332nd Expeditionary Force Support Squadron, 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, and a Tampa, Fla., native of “Grill Masters,” prepared a show stopping feast for the judges so that they may eat with their eyes as well as their mouths, during the Iron Chef Grill Competition, Sept. 12, at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.  

JOINT BASE BALAD, IRAQ

09.12.2010

Story by Sgt. Jessica Barnett 

103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq— A mouth-watering aroma filled the air as a cook off competition between Soldiers and Airmen went underway.

The 332nd Expeditionary Force Support Squadron, 332nd Expeditionary Mission Support Group, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, hosted the Iron Chef Grill Competition, Sept. 12, behind Sami’s Café at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Both teams had a culinary genius on board. Team Army, the “Cactus Chefs,” was made up of food service specialists from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary). Spc Nate Dewey, an Indianola, Iowa, native, and Spc. John Blecker, a Des Moines, Iowa, native, were lead by Pfc. Jacob Paul, a Letts, Iowa, native, and an American Culinary Federation certified sous-chef. Team Air Force, the “Grill Masters,” was lead by Staff Sgt. Frederick Carter, kitchen monitor with the 332nd EFSS, and a Tampa, Fla., native, who studied at the St. Augustine Culinary Arts School, and worked as a culinary specialist in the Navy for eight years. His partner was Master Sgt. John Ward, a contracting office representative with the 332nd EFSS, and a Grey, Ind., native.

“[The Cactus Chefs] entered the competition because it’s not something we get to do on a regular basis,” said Paul. “Being in the DFAC [dining facility] all day gets a little boring. This lets us come out here and do something different, have some fun and do what we do back home: make some good food.”

Each group got three full slabs of ribs to create three different masterpieces. Each team prepped the night before, marinating the meat overnight. Once the clock started ticking, the teams were given two hours to prep, cook and plate their meals. Each team was judged on taste as well as presentation of each plate.

“For most people, if the food looks good, they are going to eat with their eyes,” said Carter. “If it looks good, they are going to know it tastes good.”

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bradley Huber, food service technician with the 103rd ESC, and a Saint Paul, Minn., native, entertained the crowd with commentary during the competition, asking the chefs questions and giving play-by-play, along with the final score.

Col. Laura Wisch, chief of knowledge management with the 103rd ESC, and a Manassas, Va., native; Senior Airman Amber Eady, contracting office technical representative with the 332nd EFSS, and an Alexandria, Va., native; and Tech. Sgt. Alundra Gibbs, Morale Welfare and Recreation fitness core with the 332nd EFS, and a Tampa, Fla., all had to make the ultimate decision as they judged the competition.

“Being a judge was every woman’s dream: Get catered to and served by men,” said Gibbs.

“It was fun to eat foods [prepared by] different people,” expressed Eady. “One team was extremely spicy with every meal, where the other one had just enough where you felt it, but you weren’t gasping for air because your lips were burning.”

In the end, judges gave first place to the “Grill Masters” by one point. Overall, having a good variety of flavors, not just spicy ribs, helped them achieve the victory.

The competition was followed by the Cincinnati Bengals vs. the New England Patriots football game displayed on the big screen, along with free food provided by Popeye’s, giving the evening of tailgating and football a well rounded ending.

• Date Taken: 09.12.2010
• Date Posted: 09.18.2010 10:30
• Story ID: 56547
• Location: JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ