FORT SILL, Okla. (Feb. 5, 2015) -- Soldier chefs here competed in the annual Fort Sill Chef of the Year Competition last week.
Held in the former Guns and Rockets Dining Facility (DFAC) so that normal operations could continue in the Staff Sgt. Juan Garcia DFAC, the food service specialists representing the 214th Fires, the 31st Air Defense Artillery and 75th Field Artillery brigades demonstrated their culinary skills and knowledge in the three-part event.
"The competition is designed to test both knowledge and technique," explained Staff Sgt. Michael Gardner, 4th Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery, one of the judges. "We did this by dividing it into three portions: a board portion, written knowledge test and a practical cooking portion."
The board, overseen by senior noncommissioned officers, focused on military bearing and general culinary knowledge and a written test on the countless particulars of nutrition. But, the most interesting and mouth-watering portion from the standpoint of a bystander was the practical cooking.
Each participant received a mystery basket of ingredients and a time limit to create culinary magic. These meals were not standard military fare made to be served on a buffet line, but rather four-star quality cuisine judged on flavor, creativity, plate appearance and overall presentation similar to the chef competitions on popular TV shows.
"The cooking is the hardest part for sure," said Fort Sill Junior Enlisted Chef of the Year Pfc. Alan Briscoe, 168th Headquarters Support Company. "You have to meet a strict deadline with no time to plan, but your meal still has to be properly cooked and look perfect on the plate."
This seemingly impossible task would force most to make macaroni and cheese, but Briscoe and his competitors turned it into an opportunity for golden luxury. Briscoe crafted a garlic buttered shrimp and avocado appetizer that was followed by roasted chicken, asparagus and fried potatoes, recipes he made up on the spot according to the ingredients on hand.
"To me it's meant to be fun and challenging," said Briscoe with a beaming smile. "You compete against the Soldiers you work with everyday, so it not only develops personal knowledge and skills, but builds morale, too. I don't even know what I win, it's not about prizes to me, I just want to be better today than I was yesterday."
Briscoe was not the only Soldier chef to leave the competition victorious. Sgt. Fabian Hunter, 66th Forward Support Company, was crowned Fort Sill Noncommissioned Officer Chef of the Year.
While not winners of any competition, the special guests invited to sample the foods were winners in their own right. Plate after plate of delicacies were brought for sampling, and plate after plate were devoured to satisfied sounding "mmms" and "aaahs."
"We typically cook for hundreds or thousands," said Gardner, "but a competition like this is an opportunity for culinary specialist Soldiers to go above and beyond the Army standard and develop their knowledge and overall culinary abilities."
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