Photo By Bethany Huff | Chef Gunther Heiland, chef consultant and culinary judge teaches one of the Fort Bragg...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, North Carolina – As the winter air brings a chill to Fort Bragg soldiers, a talented team cranks up the heat as they prepare for this year’s 36th Annual Armed Forces Culinary Arts Competition.
The Fort Bragg Culinary Arts Team is preparing to take their tenth Installation of the Year win within the culinary competition.
“Last year we only lost by an eighth of a point,” said Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Lubnow, team captain, 249th Quartermaster Company, 82nd Sustainment Brigade. “This year we’re preparing to beat everyone and leave no room for doubt that we are number one.”
The competition’s Installation of the Year award has several areas the 16 soldier teams are evaluated in. The categories include buffet, a written exam, chef of the year, junior chef of the year, field competition, nutritional hot food, student team skills competition and a mystery event.
In weeks preceding the competition, Fort Bragg’s team performed a dry run of each event of the competition for the two chef consultants who were brought to the culinary training center to offer their culinary expertise in each area of the competition.
“The chefs are here to critic our every move,” Lubnow a Pensacola, Fla., native added. “If we don’t pay attention to every suggestion they make, it could cost us first place in the competition.”
“We are looking for perfection,” said Chef Roland E. Schaeffer, a culinary judge and chef consultant, with the American Culinary Federation.
Schaeffer said, every little detail matters. For example, how the plate looks, serving hot food hot and seeing how procedures in the kitchen are conducted. These are all things that counts to not only win, but will make for better chefs and professionals long after the competition, he added.
“Practice and repetition are key in preparing for this competition,” said Sgt. Raphael Bonair, team member, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Along with paying attention to what the judges like and don’t like, some soldiers learn new techniques to improve their skill sets within the competition.
“I’m excited to work with the consultant chefs,” said Spc. Michael Lapena, team member, 1-82 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion. “From their advice, I hope to learn new techniques, improve my dishes and hopefully win in this competition.”
“Everyone who competes has a chance of winning,” said Schaeffer, with a twinkle in his eye. “But, as long as the team does their homework, practices and does whatever it takes for them to be their best, then they will have done a great job.”
This is precisely what Fort Bragg’s Culinary Arts Team intends to do, as they travel to Fort Lee to compete for Installation of the Year during the 36th Annual Armed Forces Culinary Competition.
| Date Taken: | 02.07.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.08.2011 11:34 |
| Story ID: | 65012 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 164 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Bragg’ing Rights: Culinary team prepares for competition, by Bethany Huff, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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