Photo By Frank Valdez | The NAVSUP FLC San Diego Galley, post-renovation, will be able to better train Sailors...... read more read more
NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO — A five-year effort to modernize the Navy Food Management Team (NFMT) galley at Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) San Diego is complete, culminating in a fully refurbished training space turned over to the Navy Food Management Team on Sept. 17.
The project began as an idea in early 2020, when then-Master Chief Culinary Specialist Jade Metz checked in to the NFMT as an instructor and immediately saw outdated equipment and deteriorating spaces that hindered training for sailors across the fleet.
"I checked in January 2020, and within a very short timeframe, I realized the equipment was degraded and the space just wasn't up to the standard our warfighters deserved," Metz said. "If instructors are taking shortcuts because the galley can't support advanced techniques, then we're doing our students a disservice."
COVID-19 restrictions initially prevented NFMT from holding in-person seminars, but when training resumed in early 2021, Metz said the problems became unavoidable. "My instructors are the best in the fleet," he said. "But they were being asked to train future culinary specialists using some of the worst equipment. That's when we knew something had to change."
Metz and his team conducted walkthroughs, drafted designs, and assembled cost estimates between 2021 and 2022. But as he approached retirement in late 2022, the project sat in the middle of the Command's priority list and carried a price tag high enough that he believed the plan might fade away. "I kind of lost faith that it would ever happen," he said.
After retiring from active duty, Metz worked as a food service analyst for Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, but returned to NAVSUP FLC San Diego six months later as a civilian employee. Once settled in, he began revisiting unfinished business.
"The galley was the first thing I asked about," Metz said. "I found the old drawings on a shared drive and started ringing the bell again."
Metz credits several leaders for reviving the project, including Mr. Jim Harris, NAVSUP FLC San Diego Facilities Manager, who championed the renovation, and Mr. Ken Lee, Code 430 Deputy Director, who had supported smaller refresh efforts over the years to keep the galley functional.
By late 2023, the Command approved funding and contracting followed in early 2024, with construction beginning in the third week of January 2025. Although initially scheduled to finish in April, unexpected issues — including updates required by external equipment owners and newly discovered sanitation requirements — added delays. Even so, the renovation finished ahead of typical timelines for similar military projects. The final cost came in at around $600,000, Metz said.
One of the significant upgrades included a new drainage system and additional sinks to meet sanitation standards after the removal of the galley's single-tank sanitizing dishwasher. Metz called the oversight "humbling," but said it underscored how outdated the previous design had been.
Other improvements include updated flooring, modernized equipment, and an open-concept layout featuring a pony wall that separates student training areas from spaces used by civilians and active-duty personnel for daily meals. The open design preserves visibility and safety while keeping the galley accessible and functional.
The new layout also allows NFMT to conduct classroom instruction and hands-on training in a single integrated space, eliminating the need for students to transition between rooms.
"Students learn better when they're in the environment," Metz said. "Now they can sit in class and take three steps to begin practical application."
Metz emphasized the project's collaborative nature, praising active-duty staff, civilian teammates, and Command leadership for keeping the momentum alive.
"When folks point at me and say I got it done, it's never about me," he said. "If no decision gets made, nothing moves forward — but this was absolutely a team effort."
He also credited Harris and Facilities Specialist Jay for their responsiveness throughout construction. "They're unsung heroes," he said. "They're coordinating everything from A to Z, and they always show up with both the issue and a solution."
NAVSUP FLC San Diego held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 8, coinciding with NFMT's first seminar in the updated galley since renovations began. The event included the contractor, whose project lead said the renovation was among the most enjoyable of his career.
The NFMT will resume a full slate of culinary and food service management seminars, providing month-to-month training for more than 80 Commands in the area.
"To be relevant again and fully aligned with the Command's mission means everything," Metz said. "When you feed sailors, you're not just feeding their bellies — you're feeding their morale. This project gives us the tools to train them the way they deserve.”
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2025 10:11 |
| Story ID: | 552034 |
| Location: | NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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